SELLING PRICE
How Much Should I Ask For My Piano?
To find out the current market value of your piano, you can have a piano technician perform a
comprehensive inspection and appraisal. This is the most accurate way to determine a piano's value, as it
depends on the piano's age, the condition of its cabinet, structure and inner parts, and the market
conditions in your area. The cost for an appraisal can range from $100 to $250.
An alternative is to use our quick and inexpensive Online Piano Appraisal Service
The cost is $20.00 U.S. for a reply in 5 business days, or $25.00 for a reply within 24 hours.
We created this service to address the high demand of our clients who are looking to get a rough guide as
to the value of their piano. This can be a useful tool in making some initial decisions without having a piano
technician coming to your home. You may, however, wish to have a comprehensive evaluation done by a
technician at a later date.
Click here for more info and to order your Online Piano Appraisal
SELLING TIPS
1. Tune your piano and make sure everything works reasonably well before you advertise it - This is a
very simple detail that most people overlook. You might think: why should I pay to have the piano tuned
and/or serviced if it has to be tuned/serviced after it is moved anyway?
Here's why: you will sell your piano faster and at a much higher price!
Most people who are shopping for a used piano know so little about its technical aspects, that when they
encounter an instrument that is out of tune or has some keys that don't quite work properly, they are not
sure whether or not the problem is major or minor, or how the piano will sound after it is tuned. Potential
buyers will often reject a perfectly good piano because of relatively insignificant problems.
By simply having the piano at least tuned - and even better, also having minor repairs done-
before selling it, you will eliminate any problems that might distract a buyer. Piano owners who do this
always sell their piano faster and at a higher price than those who don't, easily recovering their expenses of
tuning & minor repair several times over.
2. Be prepared to answer questions about your piano - What brand is it? What size is the piano? What
condition is it in? How old is it? When was it tuned last? What work needs to be done on it, if any? Do you
know the piano's history? Where it was purchased? Has it moved around? Is there anything special about
your piano, or an interesting story behind it?
People have emotional reactions to pianos, and they love to hear as many details as possible.
Your knowledge and confidence will attract potential buyers when they respond to your advertising, and the
more they know about the piano, the more they will become interested in it.
3. Are there extras that may come with your piano? - A matching bench? Caster cups that protect the
floors? Some sheet music that you will never use? Maybe a metronome that you won't be needing
anymore? If it is a player piano, how many rolls of music? Or CDs? Or Disks?
These extras can help sell the piano, and you can adjust your selling price accordingly.
4. Show your piano In a pleasing environment:
Presentation
- dust, clean & polish the cabinet and the piano keys
- remove all objects from the top of the piano (the buyer may wish to look inside and access is from the top)
- make sure there is sufficient lighting so the buyer may inspect the piano's condition, and be able to see
what they are playing when they sit down to the piano.
- try and make the room where the piano resides as attractive as possible. If the room environment doesn't
quite match the beauty and quality of the piano, many buyers may be unconvinced of the high selling price of
the piano.
Comfort
- leave ample space all around the piano so the buyer can have enough room to pull out the bench, sit
down and play or look behind the piano without any clutter getting in the way.
- have the room set at a comfortable temperature. A piano in a room that is too hot or too cold will not only
make the buyer uncomfortable, but may also make them wonder if the piano has been unduly subjected to
large swings in temperature and humidity (a piano's worst enemy).
Privacy & Quiet
- the buyer is concentrating, and needs to hear the sound of the piano and focus on the details of their
decision-making process. Children playing, dogs barking, televisions or radios blaring, or any other noise
whatsoever should be non-existent.
- after answering the buyer's questions, offer to leave them alone for awhile so they can play the piano and
think without an audience. Let them take their time and call you back in to the room when they are ready.
5. Is your asking price realistic?- if you've followed all of the above tips and still can't seem to attract a
buyer, perhaps your asking price is simply not a fair enough market value. Although you may have paid a
great deal for it, pianos do depreciate. And unfortunately, the sentimental value you have attached to it may
mean nothing to the potential buyer.
Again, if you need help determing your piano's current market value, hire a piano technician to inspect the
piano and give you a comprehensive appraisal ($100 to $250), or get a rough ballpark estimate using our
Online Piano Appraisal Service ($20.00 to $25.00).
How Much Should I Ask For My Piano?
To find out the current market value of your piano, you can have a piano technician perform a
comprehensive inspection and appraisal. This is the most accurate way to determine a piano's value, as it
depends on the piano's age, the condition of its cabinet, structure and inner parts, and the market
conditions in your area. The cost for an appraisal can range from $100 to $250.
An alternative is to use our quick and inexpensive Online Piano Appraisal Service
The cost is $20.00 U.S. for a reply in 5 business days, or $25.00 for a reply within 24 hours.
We created this service to address the high demand of our clients who are looking to get a rough guide as
to the value of their piano. This can be a useful tool in making some initial decisions without having a piano
technician coming to your home. You may, however, wish to have a comprehensive evaluation done by a
technician at a later date.
Click here for more info and to order your Online Piano Appraisal
SELLING TIPS
1. Tune your piano and make sure everything works reasonably well before you advertise it - This is a
very simple detail that most people overlook. You might think: why should I pay to have the piano tuned
and/or serviced if it has to be tuned/serviced after it is moved anyway?
Here's why: you will sell your piano faster and at a much higher price!
Most people who are shopping for a used piano know so little about its technical aspects, that when they
encounter an instrument that is out of tune or has some keys that don't quite work properly, they are not
sure whether or not the problem is major or minor, or how the piano will sound after it is tuned. Potential
buyers will often reject a perfectly good piano because of relatively insignificant problems.
By simply having the piano at least tuned - and even better, also having minor repairs done-
before selling it, you will eliminate any problems that might distract a buyer. Piano owners who do this
always sell their piano faster and at a higher price than those who don't, easily recovering their expenses of
tuning & minor repair several times over.
2. Be prepared to answer questions about your piano - What brand is it? What size is the piano? What
condition is it in? How old is it? When was it tuned last? What work needs to be done on it, if any? Do you
know the piano's history? Where it was purchased? Has it moved around? Is there anything special about
your piano, or an interesting story behind it?
People have emotional reactions to pianos, and they love to hear as many details as possible.
Your knowledge and confidence will attract potential buyers when they respond to your advertising, and the
more they know about the piano, the more they will become interested in it.
3. Are there extras that may come with your piano? - A matching bench? Caster cups that protect the
floors? Some sheet music that you will never use? Maybe a metronome that you won't be needing
anymore? If it is a player piano, how many rolls of music? Or CDs? Or Disks?
These extras can help sell the piano, and you can adjust your selling price accordingly.
4. Show your piano In a pleasing environment:
Presentation
- dust, clean & polish the cabinet and the piano keys
- remove all objects from the top of the piano (the buyer may wish to look inside and access is from the top)
- make sure there is sufficient lighting so the buyer may inspect the piano's condition, and be able to see
what they are playing when they sit down to the piano.
- try and make the room where the piano resides as attractive as possible. If the room environment doesn't
quite match the beauty and quality of the piano, many buyers may be unconvinced of the high selling price of
the piano.
Comfort
- leave ample space all around the piano so the buyer can have enough room to pull out the bench, sit
down and play or look behind the piano without any clutter getting in the way.
- have the room set at a comfortable temperature. A piano in a room that is too hot or too cold will not only
make the buyer uncomfortable, but may also make them wonder if the piano has been unduly subjected to
large swings in temperature and humidity (a piano's worst enemy).
Privacy & Quiet
- the buyer is concentrating, and needs to hear the sound of the piano and focus on the details of their
decision-making process. Children playing, dogs barking, televisions or radios blaring, or any other noise
whatsoever should be non-existent.
- after answering the buyer's questions, offer to leave them alone for awhile so they can play the piano and
think without an audience. Let them take their time and call you back in to the room when they are ready.
5. Is your asking price realistic?- if you've followed all of the above tips and still can't seem to attract a
buyer, perhaps your asking price is simply not a fair enough market value. Although you may have paid a
great deal for it, pianos do depreciate. And unfortunately, the sentimental value you have attached to it may
mean nothing to the potential buyer.
Again, if you need help determing your piano's current market value, hire a piano technician to inspect the
piano and give you a comprehensive appraisal ($100 to $250), or get a rough ballpark estimate using our
Online Piano Appraisal Service ($20.00 to $25.00).
| TIPS ON SELLING A PIANO |
| Excerpts of this article are from The Piano Book, by Larry Fine: The definitive source book on buying & owning a new or used piano Click here for more info.....Canadians click here |
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