Criteria

Note: We only accept pianos newer than 1980.

 

If your piano has had regular tuning and maintenance and is newer than 1980 we may be interested in buying or consigning your piano.  We are located in Eastern Tennessee so if you are halfway across the United States we may not be able to help you.
Before you call asking or fill this form out to Sell or Consign your Piano, please read the following:
Pianos:

1. GENERAL CONDITION: “It looks like new” has NOTHING to do with the value of your piano. Every person who has ever called us starts with, “It looks like new”. The outside appearance has less to do with the value of your piano than does the condition of the action and pin block. Additionally, since styles change, if the piano actually does “look like new”, a 30-year-old piano is going to look like something that was new 30 years ago – not like instruments that sell new today. (ie: a 30-year-old car might “look like new” but it would not look like a new car today – big difference in “like new”.)

2. AGE: Vertical piano should be less than 30 years old. Grand pianos should be less than 40 years old. It has been our experience that pianos older than this often cost more to repair than what they can be sold for. If you do not know the age of your piano call us with the brand and serial number and we can probably tell you.

3. TUNING HISTORY: Even if not played, a piano requires regular tuning and maintenance, – preferably annually. Not having played the piano in years does NOT make it more valuable, likely just the opposite, since not playing often translates to not maintained. After years of no tuning or maintenance, the cost to bring the piano back into shape can cost more than the value of the piano.

4. NO SPINET PIANOS: Spinet pianos are 36” to 38” tall (from the floor to the top of the closed piano lid). Key size, extra moving parts, and difficulty of maintenance are a few of the many reasons that prevent us from considering spinet pianos, which are no longer made for the reasons stated herein.

5. BRANDS: We prefer Yamaha or other Japanese built pianos as it has been our experience these instruments tend to perform better over time. We will consider other brands of pianos depending on the instruments reputation, maintenance and tuning history in relation to the other criteria herein.

6. Sorry, We can not tell you over the phone how much your piano is worth. Everyone asks, but without a physical inspection from a competent technician, there is no way to know. We do not offer in-home inspections but may be able to suggest technicians if you want an appraisal. Please know that technicians charge a fee to come to your home. We can not speak for people we do not employ, so you would need to talk to your technician about his or her fee. Currently, it appears most charge between $75 and $150 for this service.

Pros and Cons: If you wish to sell your instrument outright, you will receive a lump sum up front and the transaction is complete. Generally, the lump sum is lower than the expected pianos value. If you wish to consign, you will get more than if you sold it to us. Generally, we split consignments 50/50 when it sells less the cost of moving the piano to our store plus other expenses trying to get it sold. Consignments can take as few as a few days and as long as a year or more.
Model and Serial Numbers are usually hard cast into the cast iron plate inside the piano. Older pianos may have them underneath.