What to Look for When Buying a Used Piano

The used piano market offers real value — but it also offers a lot of ways to spend money on an instrument that will disappoint you. Knowing what to look for before you buy can be the difference between a great deal and an expensive mistake.

Used pianos are everywhere in the Upstate. Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, estate sales, church liquidations — instruments of every age and condition turn up regularly, and some of them are genuinely good values. The problem is that a piano's condition is almost impossible to assess visually. A piano can look beautiful and be mechanically compromised. It can look rough and play brilliantly. The cabinet tells you almost nothing about what matters.

Before you go: research the instrument

When you see a listing, write down the make, model, and serial number before you visit. The serial number is stamped on the plate inside the piano — the seller should be able to provide it. With that number you can look up the year the piano was manufactured.

Age matters. A piano built before 1970 may have excellent bones — or it may have decades of humidity damage and worn parts. A piano built after 1980 in the US is more likely to have consistent quality control. Do a quick search on the brand: is it still in business? What is its reputation?

At the instrument: what to check

• Play every single key Every key from the lowest to the highest. Note any that stick, feel loose, produce a buzzing or thudding sound, or don't return properly after being pressed.
• Listen for buzzes and rattles Play notes across the range and listen carefully for buzzing, rattling, or sympathetic vibrations. These can indicate cracked soundboards or loose parts.
• Check tuning stability Ask the seller to have the piano tuned before your visit. A piano that's severely out of tune may simply need a tuning — or it may have loose tuning pins that won't hold pitch.
• Open the lid and look at the strings Rust on steel strings is a concern. Green discoloration on bass strings indicates corrosion. Tuning pins sitting loosely or at irregular angles may indicate a compromised pin block.
• Look at the hammers Hammers should be roughly egg-shaped in profile. Deeply grooved or flattened hammers produce a brittle sound. Moderate grooves can be reshaped; deep ones require replacement.
• Check the pedals All pedals should move smoothly and engage their function correctly.
• Inspect the cabinet honestly Minor scratches and finish wear are cosmetic. Water stains around the bottom of an upright may indicate poor storage conditions.

Red flags: when to walk away

"A piano inspection before you buy costs $125 and takes about an hour. That's cheap insurance against a $2,000 mistake."

— Davis Moore, CPT

The case for a pre-purchase inspection

For any piano you're considering purchasing at $500 or more, a pre-purchase inspection by a Certified Piano Technician is strongly recommended. The technician will assess the pin block, strings, soundboard, action, and regulation — and give you a clear picture of what it would cost to bring it to optimal condition.

Moore Piano Services offers pre-purchase inspections for $125, credited toward any service work within two weeks. If you're looking at a piano in Greenwood, Laurens, Anderson, Newberry, or the surrounding area, get in touch before you commit.

A note on free pianos

Free pianos are everywhere — and some of them are genuinely good instruments. But free also includes pianos that have been sitting in garages for twenty years with damage the owner isn't disclosing. Moving a piano costs $200–$400, and if it needs significant work, you're into real money. Apply the same evaluation criteria to a free piano that you'd apply to a paid one.