Are old upright pianos worth anything?

Are old upright pianos worth anything?

Antique pianos and organs can be valued anywhere from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars. It is important that sellers realize the real value difference between a restored instrument and an unrestored instrument. The valuation of used pianos is difficult. Prices of used pianos vary wildly, depending on local economies, supply and demand, and the cosmetics and playing condition of the instrument at hand, including the amount and quality of any restoration work done. Since the Recession, used pianos at all price levels have plummeted in value. Used pianos for sale far outnumber shoppers to buy them, making it a buyer’s market. Sadly, as much as these old instruments hold sentimental value, they don’t have much worth beyond that. If you no longer want your piano, and you’ve tried every way you can to get someone to take it off you and keep using it, you should feel no shame for disposing of it. There are plenty of buyers looking to save a bit of money on the resale market, yet used pianos can be difficult to sell. Pianos are difficult to move from one place to another, making it challenging to arrange a sale. It happens. If your piano is old, was poorly manufactured, neglected, or some combination of the three, your piano might be untunable. This is most often a repairable problem.

Is there a market for old pianos?

Used pianos will never sell for the original price, but they are still worth quite a bit. Another thing you can do is search for your piano or similar models and see what others are selling it for. If someone is selling a Yamaha C7 for $29,999 then you could undercut them and sell it for $25,999. Pianos typically depreciate to 78% of their value in the first year alone. After this, you can see it slowly continues to decline for 20 years, reaching its final number of 40% of its original value. As you can see, after the first couple of years, pianos will depreciate by about 5% per year. Pianos do not improve with age and use. Pianos that are 10 – 20 years old and well maintained are generally in very good condition. Pianos that are 30 – 50 usually require many repairs and adjustments to the existing parts. Pianos become ‘vintage’. Left to their own devices, 60 year old pianos will simply not feel anywhere near what a new piano is like. They can make music, yes; and they can sound beautiful but they will not feel and sound like a new piano.

How much is a classic piano worth?

An upright piano costs between $3000 – $6500 on average. High-end upright pianos average around $10,000 – $25,000. Entry level grand pianos costs between $7000 – 30,000. High-end grand pianos such as Steinway, Bosendorfer, and Yamaha can cost between $65,000 – $190,000. It’s part of the cost of ownership. The average price to tune a piano ranges from $65 to $225, and the cost can increase by several hundred dollars if the piano requires multiple tuning sessions or repairs. Piano tuning is a skill that only experienced professionals should do. Most of the weight of any piano comes from its extremely heavy cast iron harp. Small upright pianos only weigh 300 to 400 lb because they have a smaller cast iron harp than big upright pianos. Big uprights run from 600 to 800 lb. Big old player uprights can even hit 1000 lbs. List it on Craigslist, on eBay, in local classifieds, etc. If someone expresses an interest, let them come over to your property to try the piano. This is a must, and most people won’t buy a piano before they try it. You should accommodate this; if you don’t you’ll find it much more difficult to sell. With proper care, a piano will depreciate only slightly; in some cases, notable brands have even appreciated over time. Acoustic pianos from quality brands (think Yamaha, Steinway & Sons, Bechstein, and Bösendorfer, among others) hold their value best.

Why are old pianos so cheap?

A piano’s value comes almost solely from its function as a musical instrument. (The exception usually being very ornate art case pianos.) A one-hundred-year-old upright’s musical and mechanical value is quite low, especially when compared to the fine golden age grand pianos produced around the same period. Age- Piano age is different from car age. A car becomes an antique when it’s 25 years old. However, most 50-year-old pianos are considered modern. In order for a piano to be considered antique, it needs to be closer to 100 years old, and age alone does not make it valuable. To determine if your piano can be sold, there are some basic things to ponder: overall appearance, brand, and age/condition. Overall Appearance: People who buy decent-quality pianos of higher value usually have well-decorated environments for them to be placed. Can a piano be tuned after 20 years? Yes, any piano can be tuned after years of no use, as long as it is working condition. However, often a giveaway piano is given away because it hasn’t been played in years or the owner knows that it is need of some repairs and is not interested in putting any money into it.

Is a 40 year old piano good?

If the piano is older than 40 years old, generally, take a pass on that piano. The exception to this is owner care. If the owner had the piano service annually, then a 40 year old piano is much better than a 25 year old piano that hasn’t been serviced even once. There are multiple factors when considering a piano. Age – Piano age is different from car age. A car becomes an antique when it’s 25 years old. However, most 50-year-old pianos are considered modern. In order for a piano to be considered antique, it needs to be closer to 100 years old, and age alone does not make it valuable. Acoustic pianos deteriorate over time. This deterioration is impossible to notice in “young” pianos of about twenty years or less but becomes very apparent in old pianos, for example a one hundred year old piano. The average mass produced piano lasts 30 years. Hand-crafted pianos last substantially longer, often exceeding 50 years. Over time, the piano will need regular tuning, regulation, rebuilding, and other maintenance. A well-maintained piano can last in excess of 100 years. Many pianos will have a 4, 5 or 6 digit serial number to identify the age of the piano. Using this number, along with the manufacturer, the age of the piano can sometimes be determined. I tune many pianos that are 100 years old; some from the 1880s. It all depends on how well they have been maintained. I work slowly and carefully to get good results, and I can tune any piano in 1 1/2–2 1/2 hours.