Both instrument and furniture, a piano can add beauty to a home

By Stacy Downs

A piano isn’t simply a musical instrument. It’s fine furniture, often the most expensive piece in a home.

“It becomes the focal point of whatever room it’s in,” said interior designer Elizabeth Pascoe, owner of Paris Flee Market in Mission, Kan. “The seating arrangement works around it.”

Pianos also can be considered works of art. Some have lustrous finishes, rosewood carvings and intricate inlay details. And nearly all pianos are beautiful by design with their ebony and ivory keys, strings and hammers. They’re so stunning that people buy them even when no one in a home knows how to play.

Finding the right piano can take some time. Pascoe spent months searching. She wanted it to sound similar to the concert Steinway she grew up playing. She sought the touch of real ivory keys, not the plastic ones of today’s instruments. She envisioned it making a dramatic statement in her living room, already dramatic with French antiques and toile upholstery.

When looking for a piano, here’s what to consider:

Budget. It’s easy to get intimidated by a piano’s price tag. A European-made Bosendorfer can cost $125,000. However, it’s considered the Rolls-Royce of pianos. And you may hear the saying: “You can’t buy a good piano for less than $20,000.” But that’s not necessarily true.

“You can spend $20,000 and get a bad piano,” said Chris Hulme, piano salesman and store manager of Toon Shop in Prairie Village, Kan. “Labor costs play a huge part in the cost of pianos, and sometimes the execution falls short.”

A good, used upright piano can be purchased for about $1,500 and a grand piano starting at $2,500. New, good-quality grand pianos suitable for the home start at about $6,000.

Keep in mind a well-maintained piano can be a good investment. Prestigious brands, such as Mason & Hamlin, can actually increase in value.

Musical quality. Before shopping, become familiar with different piano makers, models and prices. Unfortunately, no succinct comparative guides exist for pianos. Consult a registered piano technician for advice, especially if you’re shopping for used pianos. Piano experts also swear by the comprehensive consumer guide “The Piano Book” by Larry Fine.

Sometimes experts will advise against a grand piano that’s less than 5 feet 7 inches long because it might have shorter strings and less soundboard area than a good upright piano.

Source. The best place to buy a good-quality new or used piano is from a piano dealer. Individuals may sell cheap pianos that look good but haven’t been tuned regularly or stored properly. The true cost of a piano also includes repairing, reconditioning or rebuilding costs.

Dealers also offer warranties for new and used pianos that help protect a consumer’s investment, and they offer returns and full refunds if the piano doesn’t work for your needs.

Appearance. It’s important to like how a piano looks because it can dominate a room.

The most common piano finishes are lacquer and polyester. Most American-made pianos have lacquer finishes in satin, semigloss or high gloss.

Most Asian and European pianos have polyester finishes in satin or high-gloss. The material is harder and more scratch-resistant than lacquer.

“Most people are going for pianos finished in a flat, satin black,” said Mike Vaccaro, owner of Vaccaro’s Piano and Organ in Lenexa, Kan. “It’s more elegant than a shiny, high-gloss finish.”

Entertainment. Some people aren’t satisfied with an acoustic piano. They want to hear piano music more often, especially at parties. Compact-disc systems, bolted underneath the piano, create player pianos. They add at least $5,500 to the price of a piano.

Another trend is hooking up karaoke machines and a flat-panel television to a piano to create a high-tech entertainment system. But Pascoe prefers the tradition of a player at the piano. She enjoys playing Beethoven and Chopin at holiday get-togethers.

“Everybody stops when they hear a piano,” she said. “It has a sound like no other.”

Five things to ask before buying a new piano
Warranty. It should be for at least 10 years. A warranty does not cover tuning. It will cover the finish if it’s properly maintained.
Delivery. Find out if it’s covered in the price.
Bench. Make sure you receive it with the piano. A bench costs hundreds extra, and one should be included.
Maintenance. Ask the seller to recommend some piano technicians.
Floor model. If you buy one, tell the dealer you want it tuned and cleaned before delivery.

Five things to remember before buying a used piano
• Check the warranty. Dealerships often offer 90-day to five-year warranties on used pianos depending on the age and condition.
• Test it. Make sure the keyboard, pedals and hammers don’t stick or squeak. Open the top of the piano to be sure all the strings and hammers are in place and in working order.
• Ask for a history of ownership, which includes tuning history and where it’s been stored. Be leery of a piano stored in a garage, basement or church because the humidity levels could have caused damage.
• Give the brand name and serial number to a piano technician to determine the age and musical quality of the piano.
• Hire a piano technician to inspect a piano you’re interested in buying, especially if it’s an “off brand.”
• Sources: www.ineedtoknow.org; Toon Shop, Vaccaro’s Piano

Placement
• It’s best to locate a piano near an inner wall, away from a frequently opened door to the outside. If you do place the piano near an outside wall, make sure the wall is well insulated.
• Avoid locating a piano near heating and air-conditioning vents, fireplaces and windows. Direct sunlight will age the finish prematurely, causing color fading.
• Make sure there is a light source. Put a grand piano underneath a chandelier or spotlight, for example, or place a piano lamp near an upright.
Measurements
• Piano stores often have life-size templates of the instruments so people can determine how they fit in their space. Remember to include an extra 2 feet of depth for piano benches.
• Grand pianos range from 4 feet 5 inches to 9 feet 6 inches long. They’re about 5 feet wide. A smaller grand piano is called a baby grand. The largest size is a concert grand.
• Upright pianos take up less floor space than any grand piano. Spinets are 36 to 39 inches tall. Console pianos are 40 to 42 inches. Studio pianos are 44 inches and taller. Each style is about 5 feet wide.

Acoustics
• A piano sounds louder in rooms with hardwood flooring or tile. It sounds more subdued in rooms with carpet and heavy drapes. To muffle piano sounds even more, prop the piano lid lower, use an area rug under the piano, and weather-strip near the bottom of doors in the room.

Climate
Wood and felt parts make pianos sensitive to extreme swings in temperature and humidity. Materials can swell and contract, affecting tone, pitch and touch. The optimal condition for a piano is a relative humidity of 42 percent and a temperature of 68 degrees.

Maintenance
• Have a piano professionally tuned at least twice a year: in the winter after the heater has been on a few weeks and in the spring, after the air conditioning comes on. New pianos often need to be tuned four times in the first year; a tuning costs about $75.
• It’s best to keep the lid closed on a grand piano when it’s not in use so the strings don’t get dusty. The inside of a piano should be cleaned only by a piano technician.
• Dust on the outside with a damp cloth or feather duster, then wipe with a dry cloth. Don’t use furniture polish because it’s too harsh for most finishes. Avoid aerosol products and those containing silicone.

login to post comments