Piano owners??

As some of you old-timers know, I've been in quartets and bands playing wind instruments (flute, clarinet, sax) and cello for years.
It's my outlet, my passion, and strangely doesn't drive my head crazy with the pressure exerted with the breathing.

I've Always wanted to play piano. Aside from a few college classes, I am pretty 'green' at it.
I'm interested in purchasing a used upright. I've seen some for as little as $200-$900.
I'm more interested in buying an old piano without too much damage, as I know that is what can get pricey.

Does anyone have any tips? I'd rather avoid the 'superstores' that sell used as the prices are well over-inflated. I've been looking at craigslist, etc...
It's a little harder to get a professional out to assess it's playability and quality (as well as expensive, I imagine) than it is for me to take a used sax in, for example, for an estimate on repair.

I realize that this is Completely off-topic for migraines, and probably causes many of you migraines!!

Any tips are greatly appreciated!

Good Health!!
Tanya

I'm sorry, I don't have any information. Whatever musical talent I may have is buried very deeply within. LOL

I just wanted to tell you not to worry about being off the migraine topic. That's what this side of the forum is for. Chatter away!

In our area ( Midwest) I often see old uprights being given away. We gave one away once, we advertised it as "if you pick it up, it's yours ". Those puppies are heavy, and I never could get my kids interested in lessons.

Do you have a section of the paper where you can try to find one for free? Craigs List? Someone may see it and think, Yeah! I don't want to have to move that thing again!

You'll have to pay for it to be retuned, but you probably would have to anyway.

wow cupatea, wish i had some suggestions for you.

i have say hat's off for playing some really tough instruments.

i'd love to play the oboe some day and work on some of my favorite mozart pieces.

i have a spare boesendorfer for you (I wish).

good luck!

Maybe see if some church might have more pianos than they can use.

The church that I attend has five pianos, 4 uprights and 1 baby grand; but with our very small congregation (14 people were in attendance Sabath) we do not need that many.

The most recent piano that the church aquired was the baby grand; which was purchased used from the music department of the local high school, when the music department got a new one; so maybe check with nearby school districts.

* I have a Garklein recorder that I play very, very poorly. It is high pitched and screechy. Going up in scale, there is the Soprano recorder, the Sopraneno recorder, and finally the Garklein recorder. Its low note is the C two octaves above middle C. *

Pick one up next time you are over here.
People leave them behind when they move.
We did.

We also have a freecycle site, you might try that.
Someone gives one away most months...

If you get to buying one, I can ask my son.

P

definitely dont go for a new one, you can often find them for sale from an estate when a person has passed on and the family dont or cant have the piano. school pianos are very well built and will last well. you can also get a mini piano which is i think 1 octave shorter than an ordinary piano, so therefore a little shorter in the case. there are 2 sorts of upright pianos 1 is the overstrung where if you look at the strings they are crossed over this has usually a lower case and is crossed over so the strings can be just as long but by crossing them over you dont need the height, 2 is the straight strung with a slightly higher back as the strings just go straight up. youre best to find a piano restorer and go to him who will advise you on where to get one and may even know of one that hes been tuning for yrs and is now for sale. when it is moved you need to get a funiture remover with a piano trolley. it needs to be put against an internal wall not external wall because of the damp and if played regularly should be tuned every year. if you contact a piano tuner it would be worth taking them with you to look at he piano before you part with your money. they are a wonderful instrument as well as a piece of funiture and i hope you find a lovely one to enjoy!

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate all of the valuable information.
From what I've read online, there are SOOOO many pianos sitting around, given away for free as they are so heavy and may be collecting dust or just not used anymore. I just don't want to get myself into a situation where I get this amazing super cheap extremely heavy piano, have a tech come over to tune it, and pretty much laugh in my face for getting it in the first place.

I'm not exactly looking for a Steinway, but having collected instruments over the years, I realize the significance in not just going for the 'cheapest' model, especially if you intend to play the instrument and hopefully improve over the years!

Marc, I love the oboe too...I played the bassoon very briefly. Those double-reeded instruments are so difficult! I absolutely adore the English horn! You are right, Mozart took such a liking and a passion to the oboe and English horn. I feel such delight and happiness when I listen to the recordings.


I guess its on my 'bucket list'. I'll take my time looking for a somewhat decent piano, then get the technician and then finally a music teacher who can put up with my infantile tantrums I will be bound to have!!! jk..kinda!

Thanks again!
T

Well you could get a cheap polyphonic keyboard and have a bit of a go.
We did that with my kids. One went on to play piano, guitar, bass, drums, sitar....
One flute and sax.
The other, bass.
Yea ,see I dont just know the Osmonds, we are them......Ha!!!!

Cheap and non invasive way to try it out. They all play the same stuff, just the touch is different.
Although my son has one that has "piano" touch. Also. You can get some touch sensitive ones to use with the PC.

Just a thought before you jump right in...

P