Where is a good place to buy an affordable piano?

[MustLoveCats]

I would like to buy an affordable piano so that our kids can take piano lessons (and I also used to play some back in the day and would like to bring it back.) I don't want to spend a lot of money and a quality used one is ok too. I don't want to buy from a private party because I wouldn't know what problems to look for so, I guess, my best bet is to find a good reliable (and affordable) store that sells used pianos. Any recommendations or advice?

[bizguy]

watch craigs list... that is where we got ours. There is a piano moving service in town that will move it after you buy it for like $100-$200

[MustLoveCats]

Originally Posted by bizguy

watch craigs list... that is where we got ours. There is a piano moving service in town that will move it after you buy it for like $100-$200

My issue with craislist is that I wouldn't know what to check for in a piano. If I am buying it from a reliable store I am assuming they've done whatever reconditioning is needed to bring it to a good functional state.

[penguin]

See the used console piano models in this dealer's ad:
http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/msd/2978788521.html

See this Roland digital on-stage piano ad in contrast:
http://dallas.craigslist.org/mdf/msg/2978819181.html

If you want the classic mechanical piano, unless you have the space for a grand piano (baby or otherwise), stick with a console size (not the shorter spinet, and not the older full height upright). The consoles have better sound, hold their tune longer, are easy to move, and lots easier to sell if that becomes necessary.

Since you don't want the risk of a private owner (perhaps not even knowing what faults are in his/her piano), may I suggest that you look up a list of piano technicians who do repairs and refurbishments. They often take in pianos, refurbish them, and offer them for sale. That's what I did many years ago, and it was a winning plan. If you haven't thrown out your Yellow Pages, that will work to make up a list, or run a search online in this area.

If you search on dallas.craigslist.org using keywords PIANO TECHNICIAN and click the "for sale" button, you'll get ads for pianos that have the word technician somewhere in the ad. It may be that a technician is offering it for sale, or it may be that a private owner is mentioning work on the piano recently done by a technician, like this ad:

http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/msg/2958220765.html

The technicians often work from home, and don't have the overhead that a brick and mortar dealer has. If you don't find any obvious piano ads on craigslist being offered by a piano technician, then get on the phone with the list you put together.

Also, those guys also tend to be able to deliver and setup, or refer you to someone who can. That's how I learned how to remove the legs on my Wurlizer console, use a $25 furniture dolly to roll it out onto a hydraulic lift on a rental truck, and reverse that process on the destination end.

Hope this helps.



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[MusicalMinds]

You're right...if you don't know what you're looking for, you are VERY wise to look at a piano store, but I feel like the best ones in DFW are the Yamaha dealer, Grand Staff Pianos (ask for James Tran) or the Roland reps at Romeo Music (Julie and Renee are both great) - they are very close to each other so you could make an afternoon of it.

How exciting!