This is our complete guide to finding the perfect piano for you, regardless of your level of experience. Before looking into the granular details, we have to start with the bare essentials. These are the main things you’ll have to consider.

Acoustic or Digital?

Before making any other decision, consider how involved you want to be with piano and whether you want a digital or acoustic. Digital pianos are less of an investment and have improved over the years, not to mention they’re cheaper and easier to move. All other decisions will depend on this first call!

The Size of Your Piano

As we’ve already said, your piano is more than an instrument – its a piece of furniture and a new edition to your home. You can consider the customization of the piano once you’ve picked one of the correct size – nothing too big that dominates the room, and nothing too small that makes it feel like you’re settling.

When thinking about the right size piano you want, always consider who’s going to be playing it. An experienced player might look for different things than a kid who’s just learning.

What Kind of Style Are You Looking For?

The size is one thing, but the style is a totally different story. The truth is, there’s a variety of pianos to choose from.

If you’re doing with acoustic, these are your choices:

• Grand Pianos: the grand piano is what most people imagine when they hear the word “piano”. They’re large, heavy, and are often the centerpiece of a room.
• Baby Grand Pianos: just smaller-scaled versions of grand pianos.
• Upright Pianos: these are smaller, lighter, and more affordable versions of grand pianos.
• Hybrids (Upright Grands): In-between grand and upright pianos.

If you’re going with digital, these are your choices:

• Upright Digital Piano: upright pianos that are digital
• Synthesizers: these are portable keyboards that offer an array of different sounds from the keys
• Digital Stage Pianos: digital pianos that reflect the feel and sound of acoustic pianos.
• MIDI Controller Keyboard: technical keyboards that have an assortment of additional knobs and buttons.

Figure Out Which Brand You Want

Not all pianos are created equal. What’s your budget?

Like when you’re buying anything else, some brands and models are more expensive than others. It’s not to say than some of the lower-end piano brands aren’t worth buying, it’s more that you want to make sure you’re getting the most for an allotted budget so there’s no buyer’s remorse.

Find An Expert

It’s important to find someone who has your best interest in mind. This is where a trusted piano dealer comes into play.

It’s nice to have someone that not only knows a lot about piano but may also be able to offer another perspective on the playing and purchasing process. Visiting a nice piano showroom with a helpful professional can make the piano-buying experience totally different!

There you have it, everything you need to know before buying a new piano! Take your time, chose one that’s right for you, and enjoy!

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Throughout its (hopefully) long life-span, your piano will likely be moved. Not only is it important to locate your instrument in a dry, dust-free, temperate room, but to also be mindful of your region’s climate. In humid or hot areas of the country, be sure to locate your piano in a climate-controlled environment. Why? Pianos are not entirely made of wood. Actually, they are mostly cast iron with steel strings which are tightened to a very high tension that must be maintained. A consistent temperature of about 70 degrees and a humidity level of about 50 will prevent failed joints and a cracked soundboard. BTW: it does not matter if your piano sits on wood, tile, or carpeted flooring, but if you opt for carpet, consider low pile to reduce airborne filaments and dust.

The best accessory you can buy for your piano is not sheet music but a unit that offers both humidification and dehumidification. This will keep the wood casing from swelling and shrinking throughout the year due to the increased and decreased moisture content in your home. The need to place the instrument is a dry location generally rules out the lower level which is good news for those without a walk-out basement! Other considerations when placing your piano are to avoid direct sunlight unless your window features low E-type glass, and do not allow your pets to roam anywhere near your piano as their fur is difficult to remove from a piano interior.

Additional no-nos relative to placement: never position your piano near a fireplace for reasons that should be obvious. Conversely, those floor-mounted AC vents can wreak havoc and also avoid direct contact with through-the-wall AC units. If the only place you can put your piano is near a garage or workshop, keep the door closed to avoid both dust and fumes from settling on and inside your instrument.

While we are on the subject, plan to dust your piano every other week, and do not forget the keys! When not in use, the keys should be covered with their fallboard. If you own a grand piano and have a vintage house, retro piano shawls will evoke the past and keep your piano’s finish dust free. Be sure to dust the keys then follow using a mild soap and damp cloth, not a paper towel. Also do not use aerosols as these contain solvents and other chemicals that could damage your instrument’s finish.

Why Pianos Are Not Tables

If you are social and entertain in your home often, care should be taken to prevent guests from using your instrument as a prop or worse a place to leave drinks and plates of food. Not only will you avoid damage to the piano’s finish from water rings, but you will also prevent costly repairs should a drink be spilled and settle inside on the strings or the soundboard. BTW: major piano repairs require the piano to be transported to the repair shop, so think twice before you allow your instrument to be used as a ‘piano bar’- literally!

When you buy a piano, lessons should not be the only expense that you budget. Be sure to locate a reliable piano technician. Registered Piano Technicians (RPTs) may be located online or just ask your piano dealer if they have one on staff, or ask your friends to refer one. Did you know? Your piano has over 200 strings! These need to be properly maintained. You’ll need to tune your piano at least twice a year, but possible three or four times within the first year if your instrument is new. That is because the wire used for the strings will stretch during the first few months it is played. Your instrument may also slip out of tune along with seasonal temperature changes inside your house.

In yours and your piano’s lifetimes, several moves are likely to take place. To avoid damage to your instrument and your central nervous system, simply pay for professionals to handle the task. Why? Because pianos range from several hundred to over a thousand pounds and are generally the most expensive, not to mention valuable item you are likely to own. Professional piano movers will have moving blankets just for this purpose, piano skid boards, and dollys designed just for moving pianos. And unlike you, your family, and friends, they are highly experienced in, wait for it, moving pianos. (Ask your piano dealer for a recommendation.) All the same, we strongly advise that you check to make sure that your household insurance is in order and covers the transport of all your valued possessions on moving day.

Over time you may notice a couple of changes in the way your piano sounds. If its tone changes from note to note, this does not mean that your instrument is damaged. Check with your technician about having its ‘voice’ adjusted to your satisfaction. When you move or if yours is an older instrument, expect that your piano might need ‘regulation’. When this occurs, your technician will adjust and/or replace any warped or worn parts so your piano will ‘sound like itself’ again.

What is the best way to maintain your cherished instrument? Play it once or twice a week at the very least! When you own an heirloom piano, its stewardship and obligation to maintain it for the next generation is a responsibility that should not be taken lightly. However, let’s not forget why you purchased the instrument in the first place: as an investment in you and your family’s wellbeing. Follow these simple instructions and you’ll enjoy your piano for generations to come!

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