Photo: Alena Darmel

Is a 40 year old piano good?

If the piano is older than 40 years old, generally, take a pass on that piano. The exception to this is owner care. If the owner had the piano service annually, then a 40 year old piano is much better than a 25 year old piano that hasn't been serviced even once. There are multiple factors when considering a piano.

thepianogalshop.com - Why age matters... | Music Apparel, Piano Art, Music Lover Gifts

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“It’s an antique”, is a phrase I hear often.

The term antique should not be applied to a piano. Think of a piano less in terms of a piece of furniture, and more in terms of a car. A piano may LOOK like a piece of furniture, and in some ways it is i.e. picture frames on top, but it is a complicated musical instrument with a lot of working parts inside. Once a car gets to a certain age, it needs a new engine, a new transmission and stuff like that. As a piano ages, the hammers get hard and wear down to the wood. Also, the wood parts become brittle and break causing the piano not to play correctly, or at all. And the strings become rusty and dusty and no longer create a good sound. There are a multitude of more issues I could discuss, but those factors are pretty huge.

Left alone, pianos do not last forever.

A piano can be reconditioned. A piano can be restored. Both of these involve a great deal of expense and new parts. Unfortunately, the common scenario with a piano that I see most often is that it was purchased, then tuned maybe once or twice over the course of several decades and that’s about it. So, now there is a 60 (or 100!!) year old piano that has all original parts that are worn and dusty and not working well, and the poor piano hasn’t been tuned in ages. Why does this matter to someone else? The biggest issue is that this scenario seems to be the most common one for pianos that are listed on Craigslist and other marketplaces. The owner wants to get rid of it. They think it’s in “great” condition because the furniture part of it (the outside) has been cared for and dusted. However, the piano has rarely been opened in its tenure in that home. I’m going to share some pictures of older pianos in order to illustrate what happens as pianos age. These photos show dust, rust, and wear, which are all things that make a piano sound and feel bad. It isn’t just about it needing to be tuned with a piano. And grabbing a free piano off Craigslist and then having a tuner come and tune is not going to fix these issues (provided the piano can be tuned at all).

When looking to acquire a used piano, age matters.

It matters a lot. Find out how old it is. Pianos always have a serial number and the age can be pulled from that, if the owner doesn’t know how old it is. If the piano is older than 40 years old, generally, take a pass on that piano. The exception to this is owner care. If the owner had the piano service annually, then a 40 year old piano is much better than a 25 year old piano that hasn’t been serviced even once. There are multiple factors when considering a piano. One of the top considerations should be age. Once you know how old it is, then start digging into the condition and other factors.

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Musically,

Marta

The Piano Gal

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What age is best for piano?

What is the best age to Learn TO play piano? The best age to start piano lessons is typically between the ages of 6 and 9-years-old. While older students may have an easier time learning to play, students as young as 6-years-old can also learn since the keys of the piano are easy to operate.

schoolofrock.com - Best Age to Learn Piano | School of Rock

Many children are drawn to the piano from a young age. It’s easy to play, fun to explore, and depending on whether you have a piano vs a keyboard, it can make a lot of different sounds! All fun aside, many parents often wonder what age their child should start piano lessons, especially if they want their kid to get good. At School of Rock, our instructors teach thousands of students how to play the piano every day, and know a thing or two about determining when a student is ready. And while it’s true students of almost any age can learn to play piano, the best age to learn depends on factors unique to each student.

What is the best age to Learn TO play piano?

The best age to start piano lessons is typically between the ages of 6 and 9-years-old. While older students may have an easier time learning to play, students as young as 6-years-old can also learn since the keys of the piano are easy to operate. Depending on the student, even very young children under the age of five can begin to explore the piano. After all, Mozart famously started to play piano at 3-years-old!

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