Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Teachers Forum Recommending pianos for students

One of the families I teach is going to buy an acoustic piano to upgrade from their digital piano, and asked if I had any recommendations. They were maybe looking to buy a grand, but I did caution that buying a better quality upright was better than buying a low-quality grand. Other than that, since I have never bought a piano before, I didn't know what to recommend. For myself, I would probably shop around a lot looking at used pianos.

The best you can do (if you wish) is offer to play test instruments they are considering. Or even recommend a good piano technician for them to examine the possible pianos.

One of the greatest gifts you can give your student is a copy of Larry Fine's Piano Book, even if it's just a loan. There is so much to purchasing a piano, and because it's a pricey purchase, we naturally worry about being taken advantage of. I keep a library of them expressly for parents to use and learn from.

There is also merit in meeting and getting to know piano dealers in your area. All dealers are in business to make money, just as all teachers are in business to earn a living. That doesn't make them dishonest or crooks. Some are more conscientious than others. If you're going to be a long-term teacher, have many students, then you're going to get requests from parents to help with piano selection.

In the 16 years we've lived here, I've learned which dealers and salesmen I can have faith in and which are probably best avoided.

As Morodiene points out, at the very least, you can play instruments for your students while they listen and judge the sound for themselves. You can probably better evaluate the feel of the action. And as stated, a used piano like a used car, should be inspected by a competent tech.

You will have to decide whether you want to get involved with helping this family make a piano purchase. Be upfront that you have no expertise, but you can certainly go visit dealers with them if you wish. That's if you like the family, and have the time.

You will learn quite a bit, and you may even enjoy the process.

You can get that Larry Fine book on Amazon for a penny (plus shipping). I just did. Thanks for the suggestion.

You now have three votes for getting the Larry Fine book.

First, determine the family budget because that narrows down the choices immediately. If $15,000 is the limit of their budget, then that certainly opens up a lot more choices compared to a $3,000 limit.

Let's say it is $3,000; I would look at used uprights that are well maintained since new uprights in that price range do not, shall we say, inspire me. An upright that sold for $5,500 five years ago might be in very good condition and a fair deal at $3,000.

Ultimately, you only have a few choices left once you eliminate the obvious lemons. You may not have purchased a piano before, but you have played plenty of bad pianos in your day just like the rest of us, and you could eliminate those from consideration very, very quickly when you play them. If you live in an area where there are only two piano stores your job is rather simple. If you take time off to look on your student's behalf, you can say in advance you will charge your normal hourly rate for your time while you are at the store - that is only fair. If the store gives a commission to the teacher as some do - make sure that is disclosed to the student so everything is above board.

Take your time - never buy while anxious - there are always more pianos...

You all have much wealthier students than I do, I guess. My advice is usually more along the lines of "don't buy a 100-year-old piano for any price" and "make sure, if you get an electric piano or keyboard, that it has all 88 keys, touch sensitivity, and a sustain pedal." Their budget is in the under $500 range usually; they're stretching to afford me in the first place. Once in a while I can recommend brands, but I've never had a student consider a grand piano.

So . . . enjoy having some say!

Thanks for the input. I'll take a look at the Larry Fine book, and hopefully I can get one not too expensively (it was so nice living in the US and having cheap shipping rates; they're about double in Canada, and that's only if it comes from Canada).

I grew up playing on a 100-year-old upright piano, which I sadly had to sell when I moved this year. It had a great sound, and played better than many newer uprights.

I also tried out some Yamaha digital pianos and decided a cut-off for which of those pianos I would consider acceptable for people taking lessons from me.

You can also look at Larry Fine's book online for free. Follow the links on PW.

Another vote for the Larry Fine book!

I have tabbed a few pages with sticky notes for parents to read.

And, yes, you should charge for your time helping them hunt, if you go along.

I also liken it to car buying- have a "mechanic" check it out first, and play it for a test drive.

What kills me in my area, very nice private school, is that they will pay for so many after school lessons and clubs and tutoring and sports, let alone tuition, and vacations, and etc... including nannys, but will just have a Casio keyboard.

I had THREE this year, of 28, that did not have a piano!! Of any sort!!!!

If the family has some $$$ to spend, there are some really excellent grand pianos coming out of China, and they are not so outrageously priced as the other, more famous brands.

I just went piano shopping with a few students. Let's just say that INFLATION caused more than a few sticker shocks.

In all my years of teaching I can count on one hand the amount of times I've been asked my advice on buying a piano. Strange really, you would think it would be obvious to ask your teacher for their opinion but it hardly ever happens to me.

Most of my students have old uprights which I know they don't maintain or cheap digital pianos. I would rather they use a digital than some of the firewood knocking about in many homes. It's very sad but unfortunately nice pianos are expensive and it's just not that much of a priority for most families.

BECHSTEIN is very good.

Ah right, I'll just tell them to get a Bechstein then.

Chris, one of the really nicest grands I ever played was a Bechstein 234. Maybe it was a 228. It was back in the '90s, before their umpteenth reorganization, so perhaps it was slightly shorter back then. The tail, as I recall, was much narrower than current models. But it was obvious why so many artists loved the instrument. If I had the coin, it would be my instrument of choice.

As I only have space for an upright my top choice would be a brand new concert 8. I played on one in a shop a couple of years ago and it was superb, the best upright I've ever experienced.

Sadly my income from teaching does not match my preference for pianos!

And I can't imagine any of my students shelling out for one either.

I would love a Bechstein too. Unfortunately, there would be no money left for piano lessons (or for a lot of other things!)

But remember: "C Bechstein" and "Bechstein"... totally different kettles (of fish).

Played a C. Bechstein (the real deal) 9 foot concert grand a week ago. Not impressive at all.

Played a C. Bechstein full upright last year. Used. Can't remember the price. Beautiful upright. Stunning. Only equaled by a Steinway upright I came across in my 20s.

Every piano is SO individual, although less so in the mass produced Japanese market. Then there's the private Chinese company (read: not State-Controlled). You can get an interesting, if not beautiful-sounding and feeling-under-the-fingers Hailun upright, but you can also get an absolutely TERRIBLE one.

Ditto for Steinways or Mason and H. or any brand you care to name.

Therefore, FINE is but a rough be useful guide. Personally, I think he's off base with Hailun. But from his standpoint, why take chances with a newcomer, especially a Chinese one!!!

It's a funny world. Subjectivity of taste is huge: I myself (just one example) find Kawai and Yamaha Grands, the best to the worst, very hard to listen to and to play. But I know they're incredibly well-made. I'd take my chances with a wonderful-sounding and feeling Petrov any day, if I happened to come across one. And then, of course, baby it to death (humidity, regulation, tuning) which you don't have to do (as much) with the mass-produced Japanese pianos.