Good evening everyone, I am turning to this forum because I have found many useful tips and considerations here.
I am looking to purchase a used (acoustic) upright piano for my daughter. I should preface that I am completely inexperienced and that I will certainly have to consult a technician to evaluate the condition of the piano. However, to begin selecting "possible" instruments, I wanted to understand what might be a rough age limit not to exceed in a piano, as I see many instruments online produced between the early 1900s and the 60s-70s, while more recent ones are rare.
I know it is difficult to generalize...
Among others, there is a Schimmel from 1966... what do you think, could it still hold up or is it too old?
Flipping the subject and looking instead at the recent, is a Petrof about ten years old at risk of being a "cheap Chinese imitation" or does it remain reliable, or rather, an older Petrof, or something else???
Many thanks for any advice you can give me!
Silvia
N
nancy
Member
Reply 2 by nancy
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521
Hello and welcome!
It is not that simple to answer you because there are too many things that vary from piano to piano regardless of age. First and foremost, the condition in which the instrument has been kept and the level of use over the years. I have seen old pianos 40 years or more that were well-kept and therefore better than other more recent ones....it is impossible to say beforehand.
Of course, for study purposes, I would never evaluate mechanisms from the 1800s which, due to construction criteria, are significantly different from current ones...
The year of construction is a fundamental piece of data to know for very popular pianos such as Yamaha and Kawai, or for pianos purchased from private individuals. There is no general rule, although clearly when buying a piano between 5 and 35 years old, there is an extra layer of security. Or rather, if we are able to evaluate the sound quality and 'the keyboard action', we can expect that the internal parts are original. Pianos from the beginning of the century are primarily demanding to evaluate because they will almost certainly have undergone restorations or replacements of at least some internal parts. That being said, a Schimmel from 1966 could be an excellent instrument, though the following consideration arises spontaneously: who provided the year of construction? A bit like the mileage on cars, regarding pianos, there seems to be the bad habit of passing off old pianos as much more recent ones (I speak from hearsay and am therefore referring to dealers, but sometimes even private individuals, not knowing how to trace the year of construction, make mistakes in good or bad faith, eh!).
As for Petrof, I am not up to date on manufacturing changes, but an instrument from 10 years ago, even if it were an 'economy version', in my opinion, is worth being carefully analyzed! In that case, but obviously also for the Schimmel and other older pianos, the rule applies to inform oneself and have pianists, teachers, and technicians try out the piano! With a little patience on this forum, there is the possibility to understand more by following the videos they prepare, including those regarding the purchase of uprights!
Last but not least... to get an idea and to make beginners and/or novices understand what it means to have a tuned piano, one only needs to try digital pianos which, unlike acoustic pianos for sale, are always in tune.
Watch my video tutorial on buying a used piano. It might be useful to you.
What you have been advised is correct. Naturally, the Schimmel, provided it is in good condition, can be interesting. Also the Petrov, a company that changed its headquarters years ago and now uses Renner action, could also be very interesting. The height measurement is also important. It's better to aim for 115 cm and up. Small ones (105-110) are not recommended. The Schimmel, if it's 120 or 125, could be excellent. Petrov makes a size, if I remember correctly, 135 that sounds good... in short, they should be seen. The advice and consultation of an expert is worth it.
It is extremely important to always try the piano in person. In my opinion, with a used one, an eventual repair can be taken into consideration provided that there is a "love at first sight" with the instrument. Find out the serial number and use it to trace back to the year of manufacture. I particularly like pianos built between the 50s and 70s. The technician will do their job, but always let the sound guide you, especially regarding the decay time. Check that there are no cracks; if the hammers are not new, ensure they are slightly grooved (otherwise I would suspect they have been shaved).
