Grade Your Own Piano

EVALUATING YOUR PIANO

We are often asked to put a value on a piano, but this can be more difficult than it might at first seem, particularly over the internet. Two identical models of the same make, and of the same age can have different values depending upon the condition of the instruments, as well as their locations.

We are happy to offer a professional valuation service to all clients, but we will need the answers to various questions, and a few photos of the interior of the instrument. The more information you can give us, the more accurate our valuation will be.

We will endeavor to provide the most accurate figure we can, based on the details you provide. However, we cannot accept any liability for inaccurate valuations due to lack of information or misinformation provided to us. Clients using our valuation service will be deemed to accept these conditions. Our usual practice is to calculate a ballpark range within which a piano's value lies.

First we need to ask several questions about the instrument :

Make of piano - found on the Fall (keyboard lid); or inside, cast in the iron frame above the strings;

Height, if upright; Overall length, if Grand ?

Confirmation of any factors of which you are aware and which are not obvious from the photos. This would include cracks in the frame, splits in the soundboard, repairs undertaken in the past, water damage, etc etc.

The serial number, if possible. This is usually stamped on the iron frame (If a Grand, slide out the Music stand, and look on the iron frame or soundboard).

Confirmation of the type of valuation you want - ie. Market value; likely replacement cost for insurance purposes; price at which to attempt a private sale, etc.

In addition to the above, we also need a few pictures of the instrument, particularly the interior, and preferably by Email using a digital camera.

The pictures we need are as follows:

In an upright, lift up the 'Half-top' lid, then remove the 'Top Door' (above the keyboard), using the two catches just inside at each end at the top. Take photos of the strings and the action.

In a grand, lift the main lid onto the Prop-stick, and slide out the music stand. If you can lift out the Fall (keyboard lid), an additional picture of the Action horizontally taken, will assist, but it is not essential. Take photos of the case and strings.

If you would like to request a valuation from us, then please send the information and photos requested below.

If you don't have a digital camera, then ordinary photographs sent by post will be fine. We regret that we cannot offer a valuation without photographs. E-Mail Photos to:

The Bluebook is designed to help you determine where your piano fits into a range. These grades have been developed based on how the piano industry determines trade in values and resale prices for used pianos. The following answers are designed to help you classify your piano for it's condition. You may submit it or simply copy this information for your own use. Print this page and keep it with your piano for future reference.

Your Full Name

Your E Mail Address

Your Telephone Number:

Brand Name of Piano:
Pianos have their brand inscribed on them somewhere - normally on the front of the piano. Look around and check the list of the more commonly-known brands here. If your brand is not listed, please check the "Other Brand" category.

How old is the piano:
The Serial number will tell you. The serial number is usually located inside the front near the tuning pins.

Age Range: If you still don't know the serial number of your piano. Do you know the age of the piano? It is not necessary to know the exact year, just the decade that the piano was built. Make sure you are not putting in the date on your piano that the piano company was established!

Size: A piano's size is a big determinant of its value. To correctly determine the size of your piano, use the following guidelines: Measure your Grand Piano from the front of the piano (the front of the keyboard) to the very end of the frame. Make sure you are holding your ruler in a straight line.

Service: A new piano, when serviced and cared for properly, has a life of 50 years. When a piano has been professionally rebuilt and refinished, its life extends yet another 50 years. Rebuilding a piano is an intense process - one that takes months to do, and is quite expensive. But, for certain well-known brands and types of pianos, it is a cost and a service that will be well worth the wait. Also adding value to a used piano is a professional refinishing job - which is where the exterior of the piano has been stripped down, sanded, and refinished.
Information on whether or not your piano has been professionally rebuilt and/or refinished.

Condition: Just like a car, a piano's value is dependant on how well it has been serviced, both on the inside and the outside. By using the following grading guide, on a scale of 1 to 8 please rate the internal and external condition of your piano. Click on following link.

What is the Color: Although a piano's color is not a huge factor its value, for some categories of pianos, certain finishes are worth more. Please check the color that best describes your piano.

Quality vintage pianos, in good condition, or in many cases if properly restored, are better instruments then the new pianos of equivalent size and construction. Many of the names of vintage instruments are not immediately recognizable today. There are many superior instruments equal in quality to Steinway, Sohmer, or Mason & Hamlin. In addition, they are only a fraction of the cost, and excellent investment value. Steinway, Sohmer, Baldwin, Mason & Hamlin, others such as; A.B. Chase, Cable, Chickering, Conover, Jacob Doll, Jesse French, Hallet & Davis, Hardman, Hume, Ivers & Pond, Jewett, Kawai, Kimball, Knabe, Kohler & Chase, Marshall & Wendell, Henry F. Miller, George Steck, Charles Frederick Stein, Steinert, Smith and Barnes, Vose and Sons, Weber, and Wing and Sons, to mention just a few. These are some of the names you will find on high quality vintage instruments. When you find one, it will frequently be in need of reconditioning, refinishing or rebuilding, but are well worth the effort and investment.