Where and How?
1. Place an Ad Yourself - you can place a classified ad for your piano in any daily or weekend newspaper,
local weekly paper, or classifieds-only publication like Buy & Sell, Bargain Hunter etc. Sometimes even
"pianos wanted" ads appear in the classifieds. You may find a buyer by searching the classifieds yourself.
Grass-roots advertising is also an alternative, like: word-of-mouth; or posting notices with tear-off phone
numbers that can be placed on street posts, in laundromats, grocery stores, coffee shops, libraries or any
public place where people might gather or walk by your ad.
Be prepared to answer questions from callers, like: What brand is it? What size is it?
What condition is it in? How old is it? When was it tuned last? What work needs to be done on it, if any?
Online classified ads can be useful, too. The advantages are:
- they are usually cheaper than print ads;
- you can write a much more detailed description;
- they can have a much larger audience;
- you can include an image of your piano;
- and the people looking at these classified ads are looking specifically at pianos as opposed to a bunch of
other merchandise in a newspaper classifieds section.
2. Contact a Piano Technician - some piano technicians might be in the market to buy certain pianos that
they can refurbish for resale. However, they are usually very particular about the kinds of pianos they are
interested in purchasing. Other technicians may offer a consignment or referral deal, whereby they might
help to sell your piano through their network of contacts in the interest of a referral fee or percentage of the
selling price. The piano could remain at your home for viewing, or in other cases be taken to the
technician's shop where it will be showcased alongside other pianos.
3. Try a New or Used Piano Dealer - if you take a look in the Yellow Pages, you will find out which piano
dealers might be interested. Their ad will say something like: "We buy good used pianos".
If you are selling your piano with the intention of upgrading to a better one, most piano dealers offer
trade-ins. However, you will almost always get a higher price by selling it privately on your own.
4. Call a Piano Moving Company - this is a last resort if all else fails. Some piano movers will buy used
pianos, but don't expect to get too much. But if you are really just looking to get rid of the piano, at least they
won't charge you to get it out of your home, and you might get something for it besides.
How Much Should I Ask For My Piano?
Selling your piano privately to another individual is your best chance at receiving the highest price. You are
limited when it comes to negotiating with a piano dealer or piano mover.
To find out the current market value of your piano, you can have a piano technician perform a
comprehensive 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 $150 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.
We can help you with your Piano's Age. Click Here!
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 determining your piano's current market value, hire a piano technician to inspect the
piano onsite and give you a comprehensive appraisal ($150 to $250), or use our:
Online Piano Appraisal Service ($20.00 to $25.00).
1. Place an Ad Yourself - you can place a classified ad for your piano in any daily or weekend newspaper,
local weekly paper, or classifieds-only publication like Buy & Sell, Bargain Hunter etc. Sometimes even
"pianos wanted" ads appear in the classifieds. You may find a buyer by searching the classifieds yourself.
Grass-roots advertising is also an alternative, like: word-of-mouth; or posting notices with tear-off phone
numbers that can be placed on street posts, in laundromats, grocery stores, coffee shops, libraries or any
public place where people might gather or walk by your ad.
Be prepared to answer questions from callers, like: What brand is it? What size is it?
What condition is it in? How old is it? When was it tuned last? What work needs to be done on it, if any?
Online classified ads can be useful, too. The advantages are:
- they are usually cheaper than print ads;
- you can write a much more detailed description;
- they can have a much larger audience;
- you can include an image of your piano;
- and the people looking at these classified ads are looking specifically at pianos as opposed to a bunch of
other merchandise in a newspaper classifieds section.
2. Contact a Piano Technician - some piano technicians might be in the market to buy certain pianos that
they can refurbish for resale. However, they are usually very particular about the kinds of pianos they are
interested in purchasing. Other technicians may offer a consignment or referral deal, whereby they might
help to sell your piano through their network of contacts in the interest of a referral fee or percentage of the
selling price. The piano could remain at your home for viewing, or in other cases be taken to the
technician's shop where it will be showcased alongside other pianos.
3. Try a New or Used Piano Dealer - if you take a look in the Yellow Pages, you will find out which piano
dealers might be interested. Their ad will say something like: "We buy good used pianos".
If you are selling your piano with the intention of upgrading to a better one, most piano dealers offer
trade-ins. However, you will almost always get a higher price by selling it privately on your own.
4. Call a Piano Moving Company - this is a last resort if all else fails. Some piano movers will buy used
pianos, but don't expect to get too much. But if you are really just looking to get rid of the piano, at least they
won't charge you to get it out of your home, and you might get something for it besides.
How Much Should I Ask For My Piano?
Selling your piano privately to another individual is your best chance at receiving the highest price. You are
limited when it comes to negotiating with a piano dealer or piano mover.
To find out the current market value of your piano, you can have a piano technician perform a
comprehensive 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 $150 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.
We can help you with your Piano's Age. Click Here!
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 determining your piano's current market value, hire a piano technician to inspect the
piano onsite and give you a comprehensive appraisal ($150 to $250), or use our:
Online Piano Appraisal Service ($20.00 to $25.00).
| Tips On Selling a Used 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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