So you want to buy a piano? Of course you do! The addition of beautiful music to your home is invaluable. But how do you go about deciding what kind of instrument to buy? There are diverse reasons why you might choose an upright, digital, baby grand, or grand piano. It could be for a concert hall, business venue, classroom, house of worship, or a personal space like a living room. Here are five questions to consider before your purchase.
What Kind Of Piano Fits My Budget?
A Long-Term Investment
Yamaha provides a wide range of price options to fit every budget. At Solich Piano, we have Piano Specialists in every one of our showrooms who can make the process of understanding the differences between each model enjoyable. Since pianos are as much a part of the family as the home and car, they are an investment for making future memories. A piano is a family heirloom that can increase in sentimental value through generations. And we love selling Yamaha pianos, as they hold their value incredibly well, making them a great long-term financial investment for you as well.
Budget vs. Features
In our experience as educators, concert pianists, and technicians, we understand that the tension between wanting quality, artistry, and functionality in your instrument and wanting to stay at a manageable price point. Fortunately, there are many options for making it affordable to buy a piano, including financing. At Solich Piano, we do offer a variety of financing options that are geared to have the flexibility to fit your particular situation. Reach out to your nearest store to learn about our latest offers.
When looking at financing for the purchase of a new piano, be sure to “do your homework” before you buy your new piano. Look at the offerings of major piano manufacturers – such as Yamaha, Bösendorfer, Schimmel, and others – to find out which model best balances your budget and your needs. Our piano specialists are skilled and passionate about walking you through these options. Solich Piano carries a large variety of new and pre-owned digital, upright, and grand or baby grand pianos that are wonderful additions to any home. When you visit any of our showrooms, you can compare new and pre-owned pianos side by side to test and feel what seems best for your use and preference.
Should You Buy a New or Used Piano?
Advantages of a Used Piano
If price is a major consideration, then yes, buying a second-hand piano is sometimes more affordable than buying a new one. However, you should consider a variety of factors when it comes to older pianos that may impact whether you’re truly saving money over the long haul. For instance: what kind of work will it need in the near future? A free or cheap pre-owned piano found online may be appealing, but will it come with a warranty? At Solich Piano, all of our pre-owned pianos are checked thoroughly by skilled piano technicians, and they will come with a Solich warranty, protecting you from unpleasant surprises and expenses down the road.
Used pianos have components that some piano experts will say sound better with age, but your ears will have to decide if a “mature” piano sounds and feels better to you than a new piano. Typically, we receive the most inquiries for used baby grand pianos since these tend to check a lot of boxes for our customers. We always encourage you to come try a used baby grand and compare with a similar new model so that you can make your most informed decision.
At Solich Piano, we always have expertly serviced and tuned pre-owned pianos to experience for yourself . We are happy to have our local Piano Specialists educate you and walk through the decision-making process with you while also showing you comparable new pianos for sale that might be closer in price than expected.
Advantages of a New Piano
If you purchase a new piano, the obvious advantage is that it will require no repair or restoration before it is professionally moved into your home. A new piano will have a guaranteed manufacturer’s warranty and is built with the latest design for optimum artistry and durability. Also, some newer models of pianos are equipped with the most advanced digital technology to help you learn to play piano (or play better!), to record or reproduce your playing, or to allow you to play silently with headphones.
Solich Piano also has a lifetime rade-up offer on new units so that if you do want to upgrade later, your initial investment can be used to help fund your future piano needs.
When you ask about the warranty and other important factors for your new piano purchase, make sure to talk to us also about maintenance best practices for a new piano – with the right love and care, your new piano can last you for a lifetime!
What Kind of Space Do You Have For Your Piano?
Like any piece of home or office furniture, a dedicated space for a piano is a must. Take measurements of the space you have, accounting for the bench as well as adequate space around the piano perimeter. Any of our Solich Piano locations have floor templates we can loan you that show the actual size of popular grand piano models. These can be incredibly useful in visualizing the piano in your space!
Do You Want To Buy a Digital, Upright, Grand, or Baby Grand Piano?
Advantages of a Digital or Hybrid Piano
Digital pianos, like Yamaha’s famed Clavinova line, are designed to mimic the sound and feel of an acoustic piano but include unique features that make them a great option for many buyers. Digital pianos don’t have to be tuned, which is a great cost-saver over time. They also boast multiple types of voices, recording capabilities, the ability to play with headphones, connectivity with apps for learning, and many other features unavailable with most acoustic pianos. Hybrid pianos, such as the Yamaha AvantGrand series, feature those digital advantages but with a true acoustic piano action. This provides an authentic feel to these instruments while maintaining the functionality and cost-savings of a digital piano!
Advantages of an Upright Piano
Upright pianos are designed to go right up against the wall and minimize the depth of space needed in the room. If price is a consideration, an upright can also be more cost effective than a grand piano. If space is an issue—like if you live in a small apartment—then an upright is also most likely the best for you. (Apartment-dwellers: check with your landlord to see if there are noise restrictions to consider. If so, you might want something you can play with headphones, like a digital piano or a Yamaha upright with the incredible Silent System!)
Advantages of a Grand or Baby Grand Piano
If you live in a larger home, you might have the space for a grand piano, which has a larger soundboard and longer strings than an upright, allowing more resonance, responsiveness, and depth of expression. Along with the superior tone, the touch of a grand piano is the gold standard for discerning players. They also make stunning furniture pieces. Also, most grand pianos have a polymer finish that can protect it over time.
Like an upright piano, a grand piano does not have a standard measurement. Their length can range from “baby grand” territory (around 5 feet or even less) all the way up to concert grands (9 feet or more) and everything in between. The size you’ll want is dependent on your space and the piano’s intended use. Our piano specialists can help you find that perfect sweet spot!
Do You Have The Right Acoustics For Your Piano Room?
You may have picked out the piano within your budget for the correct size of your living space, but you should consider how the sound from the piano will carry within that space. You know how some people sing better in the shower? The same applies to a piano, and this is because of acoustics. (We don’t recommend playing your piano in the shower, however!)
“Acoustics” refers to the way sound is transmitted and reflected within a given space. You can play a piano at a specialty shop and think it sounds great, but you might be surprised to find that same piano sounds very different once you get it set up at home.
How do we make sure you’ll have the ideal acoustic environment for your new piano to sound its best? Several factors are worth considering:
Room Area: It is recommended to use a room where the short and long wall lengths and ceiling height are in ratios of 3 or 5, not 1 or 2, and to avoid square rooms. Piano Buyer recommends that the total length of the walls of a room containing a grand piano should ideally be at least 10 times the length of a grand piano. It is recommended that an upright piano be placed along a short wall at a 45-degree angle, one-third or one-fifth the way between diagonal corners.
Ceiling height: If you have ever been in any room that has a high ceiling, then you know the sound can echo. Ceilings that are higher can give a better resonance for the piano’s sound, but this can work against you as well. It is recommended by Piano Buyer that the ceiling height not be the same as the length of one of the walls, or that length divided by 2 or a multiple of 2.
Windows, Doors, and Walls: The sound from your piano can be reflected, diffused, or absorbed. For the best sound from your piano, it is recommended that the walls, furniture, and anything else in the piano room promote sound diffusion rather than reflection. Glass from windows within your piano room can be sound reflectors but covering them with something as simple as a wooden blind can diffuse that sound. Just opening the doors to adjacent rooms can affect the bass clarity of the piano’s sound, promoting proper sound diffusion.
Floor Materials: Your floor surface can affect the sound of your piano, and it is recommended that your piano sit on a hard surface like hardwood, ceramic tile, or even marble. Just adding a rug to a wooden floor can alter the way your piano will sound due to its ability to absorb sound. This absorption might be desirable or undesirable depending on the acoustic properties of the rest of your space.
Conclusion
To find your ideal piano, it’s certainly important to do your homework. This can mean doing good research online; clarifying your wants and needs for the sound, playability, and aesthetic factors of your new piano; and we also hope it will mean taking advantage of the opportunity to converse with the Piano Specialists in any of our showrooms and experience the amazing instruments you’ll find there. There’s no better way to fall in love with your future piano. We look forward to helping match you with the perfect one!
If you would like the Solich Piano Team to help you find that perfect piano you can get in touch with us by:
- Web Chat
- Calling 877 376-0976
- Visiting A Store Location Near You
