Can any pianists advise me if this piano might be ok?

[jenthehen]

I've been offered a Steinbach upright piano, about 5 yrs old and wondered if it would be ok for my ds (aged 6) to play. He's been having lessons for almost two years but has so far been learning on a weighted keyboard. His piano teacher has suggested that he will need to move on to a real piano this year. Unfortunately she is on holiday at the moment and I'm going to see this piano tomorrow so I can't ask her advice. They want £400 for it. Any advice greatly received. Thanks

We were advised to make sure ours was at concert pitch before we bought it, that there were no cracks in the soundboard and no sign of water damage.

I think I' need a professional to tell me this then .....I wouldn't have a clue how to recognise "concert pitch".

whats a weighted keyboard?

weighted keys are ones that play louder the harder you hit them

what si the point of them?

so that you can play music loud or soft, or get louder or softer in the music you play. A pretty important part of playing any instrument

so all pianos arent weighted?

yes - but op's DC has been using an electric keyboard - some of which are weighted, some of which aren't.

IMO a good electric (weighted) piano is just as good for learning/practising on as an upright (hence the reason I'll be more than happy for ANYONE to take my upright off my hands - as it's too big, and DS3 keeps climbing on the keyboard and standing up there ) and save up for a nice Clavinova

ohi see! thanks for clearing that up FAQ

id lvoe to take your piano but you are bit far away from me

i keep seing them on freeccyle but i imagine they are a load of junk

Get a piano tuner to check it out first - any one you know in RL who has a piano should be able to recommend. The tuner (their fee to tune is usually around £45, so should be no more than that) will be able to tell you if tunable to concert pitch, and if soundboard etc ok.

The tuning thing is really important - we had an old piano that could not be tuned above a semitone below. So glad we got rid soon after ds showed serious interest as he has perfect pitch and it could have been ruined.

Thanks for that. We won't rush into anything.

where do you live faq

Northamptonshire

do you think a clavinova is worth it for learning (even for me )

i like the fact they are small

dd2 (almost 6)is keen

ooo I would love a clavinova - I have my heart set on one in our tiny local music shop - when the money from my Granddad's estate came through it took all my effort not blow the lot (nearly 3k) on it .

I think for learning on any properly weighted piano (whether electric or standard) is fine (but that's just my opinion )

wow are they really 3k

well - the one I like is - but I think it's the top of the range one - you can get them much cheaper than that

I don't think a clavinova is worth it - I'd go for a real piano every time. Ime the pupils of mine who have clavinovas at home can struggle with transferring to a real piano at their lesson! I would also much rather have a real piano to play than an electric one.

Having said that, we are the house of keyboard instruments - we have 2 pianos, a clavinova and an organ...

ahh but tortoiseshell - when the piano you paid £450 5yrs ago you're now struggling to sell for even £50 - because it's been scratched to pieces, and your 15 month old has taken to running across the lid of it........and it takes up more space than you can really afford - a Clavinova is a much better.

Having said that I know that the cheaper ones aren't that great - which is why I have my heart set on this one in the music shop.........well I can dream can't I .

mind you it is the electric piano equivalent of the sort of organ that Catherdrals have when their grand old pipe organs are being restored

It depends what you want it for imo! Our clavinova is up in the kids' bedroom - we rescued it from church, where it was going to go on a skip - and they mess around on it. Serious playing happens downstairs on the 'proper' pianos!

Have you thought about just getting the piano renovated? You could varnish out the scratches, or just get the inside overhauled so it plays ok. I guarantee that if your boys have hurt a real piano, they will smash a clavinova to smithereens!

oh god I'd never put my Clavinoa in the boys room - not the one I've got my heart set on lol.

I really don't have the space for this piano - it was bought when I lived in a different house, and had space for it, it's been squashed into a space next to the wall right next to the dining table, which means to play it I need to actually move the dining table (it's one of those big uprights) which is a complete hassle.

They haven't smashed it - they've just scratched the wood (and it's gone right down into the wood DS2 scratched it that hard 2yrs ago ) so it's not just a case of re-varnishing the wood itself is damaged - plus one of these days DS3 is going to fall off the closed lid and smash his head on the side of the table........

Just to clear up some terminology:

Weighted keys are keys which are heavier to press down. The term only applies to keyboards - all pianos are "weighted" by design.

Touch-sensitive keyboards play louder when you press the keys harder. Again, all pianos are touch-sensitive.

Another vote here for a piano over an electronic keyboard. If you're serious about playing, play a piano.

god I'd never buy an electric keyboard (although that is what I did first learn on - with "keyboard" lessons)

You see as on organist who used to detest any electric organ I've discovered (and realised) that actually - while of course the real thing is much better in terms of sound/quality - actually an electric one (and I'm talking top range electric - not cheap and nasty Argos ) can be a pretty good damn substitute and actually no different to play that the real thing