The Piano Book Buying & Owning a New or Used Piano

by Fine, Larry; Jarrett, Keith

• ISBN13: 9781929145010
• ISBN10: 1929145012
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-11-01
• Publisher: Brookside Press

Summary

This bible of the piano marketplace is indispensable to buyers and owners of pianos, amateur and professional players alike. Hundreds of thousands of pianos are bought and sold each year, yet most people buy a piano with only the vaguest idea of what to look for as they make this major purchase. The Piano Book evaluates and compares every brand and style of piano sold in the United States. There is information on piano moving and storage, inspecting individual new and used pianos, the special market for Steinways, and sales gimmicks to watch out for. The supplement lists current prices for more than 2,500 new piano models.

Author Biography

Larry Fine is a registered piano technician member of the Piano Technicians Guild and has been involved in the field of piano technology for over 20 years. He lives in Boston, Massachusetts.

Table of Contents

Foreword	vi
Keith Jarrett
Preface	ix
Preface to the Fourth Edition	x
How to Use This Book	xi
How the Piano Works	1	(11)
The Action	9	(3)
How the Action Works in a Vertical Piano	9	(1)
How the Action Works in a Grand Piano	9	(3)
Buying a Piano: An Orientation	12	(5)
Initial Considerations	12	(3)
Proficiency Level	12	(1)
Space	12	(1)
Money	13	(1)
Furniture	13	(1)
Should I Buy a Grand or a Vertical Piano?	13	(1)
What Size Piano Should I Buy?	14	(1)
Should I Buy a New or a Used Piano?	15	(1)
Looking For a Piano (or Zen and the Art of Piano Buying)	15	(2)
Buying a New Piano	17	(59)
Marketing	17	(2)
How Pianos Differ in Quality and Features	19	(41)
Case and Cabinet Construction, Styling, and Finish	20	(8)
Structural and Tuning Stability	28	(5)
Scale Design and Strings	33	(6)
Bridges and Soundboard	39	(2)
Listening to Tone	41	(3)
The Action	44	(3)
Keys	47	(4)
Hammers	51	(2)
Pedals and Trapwork	53	(3)
Final Preparation	56	(1)
Serviceability	57	(1)
Warranty	57	(3)
Shopping For a New Piano	60	(16)
The Approach	60	(3)
Choosing a Piano Dealer	63	(1)
Prices, Sales, and Merchandising	64	(2)
But Is It a Good Value?	66	(1)
Does It Hold Its Value?	67	(1)
How to Save Money	68	(2)
Price and Service	70	(1)
Dealing With Trade-Ins	71	(1)
Shopping For a New Piano on the Internet	72	(1)
Servicing After Delivery	73	(1)
Buying a School or Institutional Piano	74	(2)
A Consumer Guide to New and Recently Made Pianos	76	(96)
The New Piano Survey	76	(4)
The Myth of Objectivity	76	(1)
The Survey and Its Limitations	77	(1)
How to Use This Guide	78	(1)
Need More Help?	79	(1)
Ratings	80	(7)
Summary of Brands and Ratings in Alphabetical Order	81	(3)
Summary of Brands and Ratings in Approximate Descending Order of Quality	84	(3)
The Piano Industry Today: An Overview	87	(3)
Index to Trade Names	90	(2)
Stencil Pianos	92	(1)
Brand-by-Brand Listings and Reviews	92	(68)
Electronic Player Piano Systems and Hybrid Acoustic/Digital Pianos	160	(12)
Commentary and Comparisons	168	(4)
Buying a Used Piano	172	(42)
What's Out There	172	(8)
How Long Does a Piano Last?	174	(1)
Brief Notes on a Few Old Piano Brands	175	(1)
Should I Buy a Used, ``Gray Market'' Yamaha or Kawai Piano?	176	(2)
Old Player and Reproducing Pianos	178	(2)
How To Find a Used Piano	180	(4)
Contacting Technicians and Rebuilding Shops	180	(1)
Repair, Reconditioning, and Rebuilding	181	(1)
Grand Piano Rebuilding Checklist	182
Visiting New Piano Dealers	181	(1)
Visiting Used Piano Dealers	181	(1)
Answering Ads	182	(1)
Hunting Up a Piano	183	(1)
Shopping on the Internet	183	(1)
Obtaining a Piano From Friends and Relatives	184	(1)
Checking Out the Piano	184	(18)
Looks, Styling, and Finish	185	(1)
Opening Up the Piano For Inspection	185	(1)
Pitch and Tuning	185	(1)
The Pinblock	185	(5)
Strings	190	(1)
Bridges	191	(1)
Structural Integrity	192	(1)
Soundboard and Ribs	192	(1)
The Action	193	(2)
Keys	195	(1)
Hammers	195	(2)
Dampers	197	(1)
Pedals	197	(1)
Regulation	198	(2)
Serial Number	200	(1)
Closing the Piano	200	(1)
Used-Piano Checklist	201	(1)
How Much Is It Worth?	202	(1)
Depreciation Schedule For Pianos	203	(1)
Prices of Used Pianos	204
After the Sale	202	(1)
Moving	202	(1)
Warranty	202	(1)
Tuning	203	(1)
Selling Your Piano	203	(3)
Addendum: Buying a Used Steinway or Mason & Hamlin	206	(8)
Soundboard	207	(1)
Pinblock	207	(1)
Action Parts	207	(1)
Hammers	208	(1)
Design Changes	208	(1)
Teflon Bushings	208	(1)
Verdigris	209	(1)
Rebuilding Quality	209	(1)
List of Steinway Models from 1853 to Present	210	(3)
Steinway Dates and Serial Numbers	213	(1)
Piano Moving and Storage	214	(8)
Why Not to Move a Piano Yourself	214	(1)
How Pianos are Moved	214	(2)
Moving a Piano Around a Room	216	(1)
Hiring a Piano Mover for a Local Move	217	(1)
Interstate, Long-Distance, and Household Moves	218	(1)
International Moving	219	(1)
Storage	220	(1)
The Effects of Moving and Storage	221	(1)
A Beginner's Guide to Piano Care	222	(13)
Tuning	222	(2)
What Is Tuning?	222	(1)
Why Do Pianos Go Out of Tune?	222	(1)
How Often and When Should I Have My Piano Tuned?	223	(1)
Humidity and Pianos	224	(4)
Relative Humidity	225	(1)
Where to Place the Piano	225	(1)
Temperature	226	(1)
Humidifiers and Climate Control Systems	226	(2)
Other Kinds of Piano Service	228	(1)
Cleaning and Polishing	228	(1)
Action Regulating	228	(1)
Voicing	229	(1)
Room Acoustics	229	(1)
The Piano Technician	230	(2)
The Long-Range Outlook	232	(1)
Additional Resources	232	(3)
Quiet Keys™	232	(1)
The Stanwood Precision TouchDesign™ System	233	(1)
Magnetic Balanced Action	233	(1)
Reduced Size Keyboard For Small Hands	233	(1)
Mail-Order Sources For Piano Accessories	234	(1)
Piano & Keyboard Magazine	234	(1)
Glossary/Index	235