Beware! 10 Things to Know!
Top 10 Things You Should Know Before You Buy a Piano (THE FINE PRINT)
1. Don’t Overpay! Look for a store that guarantees you the lowest price and one that is willing to pay you more than just the difference if you find one cheaper. Miller Piano Specialists offers you 150% of the difference. See our Buyer Protection Plan for full details. Be sure to ask to see the most current Ancott pricing guide for comparable models because there are different grades of models that are all the same size! Beware of
stores that don’t display prices on all of their pianos.
2. Don’t Be Fooled by Size Comparisons! Did you know that there is no one size or standard size Baby Grand? There are MANY sizes. And when comparing pianos, not all manufacturers build pianos the same size as other manufacturers.
3. Understand Climate Conditions and Cured Wood! If you buy a used piano, it’s very important to know its history. Different climates, such as high humidity or excessive dryness, can cause the soundboard to warp or crack. Better yet, be sure that the piano has been inspected by a certified piano technician and that you receive the Previously Owned Piano Certification Program form as evidence that your piano has passed inspection.
4. Beware of Buying a Used Piano from a Private Party! You lose the 100% trade-up value guarantee and any warranty that you get from a dealer! So consider your total cost: no way to get all your money out when you trade up, no warranty, pay for tuning at $60 or more, pay for repairs, pay for moving the piano at $125 and up (the cost of the truck, a proper dolly, furniture pads, straps to anchor the piano from tipping or bouncing up and down plus the extra cost of personnel). A grand piano is about 575 pounds of dead weight. If you don't know how to lift a piano properly, with the right accessories, you will experience many problems, possibly even a dropped piano, plus various dents and scratches with inexperienced movers. And there is possible damage within the seller's home.
5. Be Sure You’ve Got Full Factory Warranty! Watch out for new pianos that are sold at steep discounts or that are bootleg pianos. While the bootleg pianos may have the name brand, a new piano bought from an unauthorized dealer voids the manufacturer’s warranty in most cases. Remember that when a deal seems too good to be true, it almost always is.
6. Portable Keyboards Are No Substitute! It’s like learning to play basketball in high heels. The touch is totally different which hurts the student’s learning technique when a real piano is played, and there are no pedals. Portables discourage your child and cause them to lose interest early.
7. Understand Why Bigger IS Better! Strings in a piano are like an amplifier is to a stereo system. Looked at another way, the strings in a piano are like the engine size of a car. The longer the strings, the richer and fuller the sound. Likewise, the bigger the soundboard, the better. The soundboard in a piano is like a pair of speakers to your ears.
8. Insist on 100% Lifetime Trade-Up Credit! If at anytime you decide that you would like to trade up your acoustic piano for a higher quality instrument (such as from a Vertical to a Grand or from Entry or Student Level to Artist Level) offered by a company, you should be able to get 100% (one hundred per cent) of the purchase price you paid, for as long as you own your piano, to apply toward the purchase price of the higher-quality model you choose.
9. Insist on 30-Day Exchange Guarantee. Look for a store that wants to see you happy and satisfied with your purchase. At Miller Piano Specialists, if you don’t like your new purchase for ANY reason, Miller will make a one-time exchange of your piano or organ within 30 days of your purchase when the item is returned. See Miller’s Buyer Protection Plan for full details.
10. Get It ALL in Writing! Be sure that all claims made by any company are always put in writing. Never buy unless it’s in writing.