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USED PRICE GUIDELINES

There are a few things you should know before you buy or sell a used piano or even advertise your piano for sale, and some questions you should have the answers to before doing so. Please Visit Our Resource Page as a starting point.

We have adopted the following designations to identify the condition of an instrument.

1. R & R = Rebuilt and Refinished
2. Refurbished = Reconditioned
3. The age of an instrument is considered as a part of the condition.
Excellent Under 10 Years - Good 10 to 20 Years - Fair Over 20 Years

The Bluebook of Pianos has adopted the following definitions to help clarify the level of repairs on a piano. 

1. "A used piano that has been disassembled, inspected, repaired as necessary with replacement of all worn or deteriorated parts, reassembled, tested and approved to at least the tolerances of a new piano of like manufacture is said to have been rebuilt.

2. A used piano that has been put back in good condition by cleaning, repairing and adjusting for maximum performance with replacement parts only where specifically needed is said to have been reconditioned." The labor-intensive work required to rebuild a piano properly is not inexpensive. Therefore, a rebuilt piano should be purchased because of its merits, not purely as a money saving measure compared to a new instrument. 

See: Rebuilding for restoration costs.

Value greatly depends on condition and the make of the piano.

CMV:  "CURRENT MARKET VALUE"

1. Reflects the wholesale or current market value of a piano  after all repairs have been made.
2. This is  not  the  amount  you paid for or the amount allowed in trade.
3. This is  the  actual amount the instrument is worth, it  does  not include additional moving or other make ready. 

FMV LISTS: "FAIR MARKET VALUE"

Valuations  reflect both wholesale and retail prices paid  by dealers at auction and retail prices in retail piano  stores.  The age of an instrument is not a consideration, prices shown are  for vertical pianos made after 1960, pianos  older  than that  should  receive additional scrutiny by buyer.  In  the case of Grand Pianos worth rebuilding, the age could be 100 + years,  condition  will  still determine the  value.  See piano age.     

Keep  in  mind  that these are only guidelines  to  help  you determine  whether  a particular piano you're  looking at is priced fairly  Actual selling prices may vary widely. These prices  are  based upon overall quality of a  given  line  of pianos, based on controlled use tests, expert judgments, and  experience.