Buying a Used Piano: 5 Questions to Ask the Seller Before Making the Trip

Have you decided to buy your future piano (or digital keyboard) used from an individual? Congratulations! Excellent choice of instrument. Here is our advice to accompany you in this process.

Before contacting the person selling it, if the instrument reference appears in the listing text, we advise you to try to determine its market value. For this you can go to the website www.audiofanzine.com which offers a market value for a large number of instruments. Simply type the reference in question into the search bar to find information about it. You can also search for its new price in a search engine if it’s not from a generation that’s too old. Finally, you can try to find the price offered for the same instrument in other listings between individuals. If the reference doesn’t appear in the listing, it might be worth asking for it beforehand.

Then, apart from standard questions such as “why are you selling your piano?” or inquiring whether the price is negotiable, here are 5 questions to ask the person selling the keyboard or digital piano that interests you before making the trip to buy it:

- “Did you buy it new?” If yes, “do you still have the purchase receipt?”

This will allow you to know the purchase price and put it in perspective with the asking price based on its age and the market value you may have determined. Maybe it’s still under warranty too. If the seller doesn’t have the original receipt, it may be because it’s second-hand. In this case, try to find out why it’s for sale and how long the person kept it. This can give you arguments to lower the price.

- “Who played on it?”

This can give you an idea of its condition. If the piano was bought new and used only a few months by a beginner who quickly stopped, we can assume it’s in very good condition, even like new. If it was used for concerts, was often moved or a person played it more regularly, there’s a chance it’s more worn…

- “Do all the keys work?”

A silly question but one that can save you from making a pointless trip! A defective but rarely used key is sometimes a defect that the seller may tend to hide unlike other more annoying defects… In any case, a defective key among the lowest or highest justifies a sharp price reduction. A key among the most used keys justifies not making the trip.

- “Were the keys protected from dust or cigarette smoke?”

Cigarette smoke yellows piano keys and deposits black residue between them. Besides the aesthetic inconveniences, it’s possible that it also deposits inside the instrument, which can reduce its lifespan.

- “Are you selling the bench and pedal with it?”

Always good to make sure beforehand, knowing that a pedal costs about 30€ and a bench/stool of sufficient quality costs at least 60€.

Conclusion

We hope these few tips will be useful to you. Buying a piano is always a pleasure and an awaited moment, so it’s best to protect yourself as much as possible from any disappointment.

See you soon on Tokatab!