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I just recently purchased a Gulbransen 1927 upright player piano. The player pieces have been removed, each key plays perfectly, the keys are weighted perfectly, and I bought it for $200.00!!! Quite a steal!!!

I just had it tuned, and cleaned by the best piano tuner in my area, who's also the President of the Oregon Music Teacher's Association. My piano tuner said it was a fabulous old piano. The loud pedal works great, and the soft pedal for some reason has been reattached.

My piano has wonderful tone quality, and wonderful pitch, and is holding it's tuning nicely. I do want to have it tuned again in about 3 to 4 months, just to insure it keeps tuned. The people I purchased it from, just wanted to get rid of it to create more space in their home. I think it is Walnut, but can't be sure on the wood. It has a natural finish on it, and I was thinking about refinishing it this summer. I was also thinking about staining it. But am holding off on it until I get a professional opinion.

What is the value of a 1927 Gulbransen these days?

It's been years since I've heard anyone call it a "loud pedal". That was fun.

As to the value: it has no - nor will it ever have any antique value, and as a piano it's worth about....$200 bucks. Enjoy it, but don't put too much money in it. Do get it tuned though.

About the same as it was worth in previous days and will be worth in future days. It's worth about what you paid for it. As long as it's tuneable you didn't get swindled, and you didn't steal it either. Just keep it tuned and enjoy it and don't worry about it.

Niles Duncan
Piano rebuilder, Pasadena, CA

[ March 18, 2002: Message edited by: Niles Duncan ]

If you are talking about resale value, then $200 is about right. Maybe twice that, but the fact is that old uprights don't command a big price these days.

$200 bucks for a piano in your home that you like owning (and more importantly like PLAYING) however, is a very good deal indeed. You may find that you enjoy playing it just as much as the guy who spent $20K on a piano.

The key (as has already been pointed out) is whether or not it will keep a tune, and at what point it is no longer economical to keep in repair. There may come a time as well, when your piano playing ability will outstrip the ability of your Gulbransen to keep up. When that happens, maybe you will want to trade up.

Do get it tuned regularly, and do take the advice of your tech when he tells you that the end is near. Meantime, play it a LOT. Your piano is some 30 years newer than a lot of the uprights we see around here, and it may have a lot of life left in it.

[ March 18, 2002: Message edited by: Steve Miller ]