Who knows something about Pianos

[farawaytree]

My daughter and I would like to learn to play the piano. There are some uprights on ebay but I don't know where to start! Anyone out there with some advice on a good make etc to start with?

Thank you

We have an upright, and there are usually loads going for free on your local freecycle. If you really are thinking of getting one then uprights can be picked up really cheap as it seems people are getting rid of them as they are so heavy and take up a lot of space. There are so many models on the market now for electronic pianos which are about the size of a keyboard (but the same length of a piano) and have touch sensitive keys, ie they are weighted to feel like piano keys and not easy to press like a keyboard.

When looking for ours we were told to look for a german make and overstrung (dont know what overstung means though sorry). If you do get an upright be prepared to do some heavy lifting too. Ours cost about £100 four years ago.

They are extremely heavy you will need to hire a van and have 4 extremely strong people. Specialist firms charge a lot to move a piano.

For the above reason, i think it is well worth paying a piano tuner to assess a piano before you buy (about £60 i think).

Overstrung means that the bass strings run diagonally across the piano rather than all the strings being vertical. This means that there is a much better tone. this site gives some useful information.

I would advise you to get a decent piano, as a cheap old one could be very frustrating. It may not hold its tune, may have sticking dampers, uneven keys, etc. etc. making it difficult to play. Electric ones don't cut the mustard IMO unless you pay an absolute fortune.

If you are going for an older piano I'd recommend contacting a piano tuner for advice regarding makes. I started with a Broadwood which I loved. If possible, I'd try to buy from a dealer as you get to see the instrument and give it a go first. If not, as Hattie said, get a tuner to look at the piano before you buy it.

What does it mean if a piano's sound board is broken - can it be fixed/ replaced?