What to look for when buying a piano ???

[mummyloveslucy]

Hi, my daughter is going to start Suzuki piano lessons soon. I've always wanted to learn the piano so i'm going to have lessons as well. The teacher says that we'll need a piano at some stage as a key board isn't quite the same.

I've looked at several pianos on line but don't really know what to look for. I've been told not to go for something older than 20-30 years as they often need a lot of work as they get older. Appart from that, I don't have a clue.

I'm not sure wether to just get a cheep one for now, or put the money towards a decent one that we won't ever need to replace? I like the look of the Yamaha U3/U2. It'd take me a few months to save for it though.

I'd be really greatfull of any advice.

I thought they were all Yamahas these days under different olde worlde names.

Yamahas are lovely these days although they used to be looked down on for some reason.
I bought my piano from a local school as they were getting rid of some while having building work done so I got a bit of a bargain as it had been tuned and maintained regularly.
The nicest piano I've played on was an old Bluthner grand in a walnut case, beautiful sound and a beautiful instrument to look at.
You can get reconditioned pianos for less than a new instrument would cost.

Nb wasn't turning up my nose at Yammies!

I tried quite a few Yamahas in my quest to buy a piano. Some of them are quite nice. Some of them not. I didn't like the cheaper range (I think it's the B series) are not so nice. (I have expensive taste. ) But really, you have to try them. A seller told me that the general opinion is that Yamahas tend to produce a "harder" sound which is not to the "European taste", whatever that means ... I tried a reconditioned Yamaha (one of the U something series, a big tall one) and it was very nice. But I would have needed a bigger living room to go with it ...

Thanks everyone, I've decided to save up for a really nice one. I'll start to look aound and see what I can find. I'll take my little budding Mozart with me.
i'll also speek to her teacher before I decide on one. It'd be lovely to get it for my daughters 6th birthday at the end of Feb. (I just hope she won't expect this expensive a present every year)

Thank you so much everyone for all you're advice.

Go for an Overstrung piano (thats not a make it's how it's engineered) it keeps it's tune longer and will have better resale value should you decide to get rid. ask any piano tuner. make and model is purely aesthetic.

Thank you, I did see a nice one. It was an upright Bluthner which is old but was re built inside 10 years ago. That one was cross strung though. It was £750.

I'll look out for overstrung ones now.

Well in case anyone is clicking on here with a similar piano enquiry....
If anyone wants ours they can have it. You just have to come and get it.
Slightly knackered yet much loved upright. (ds1 is leaving home and dd plays electric guitar)

Or these guys