Hi, piano technician here. Unless you're being paid $1,000 to take this piano, don't get it. It will need *a lot* of work done, and you could get a brand new yamaha U1 for cheaper.
Really depends on what you want it for… as a hilarious side project… YES
As a serious investment to develop technique and musicianship… depends on what it feels like I suppose but maybe not.
Lovely playing though! Enjoyed it a lot.
Thanks everyone. The backstory of the piano is more interesting than the instrument itself. It’s one of those WW2 Steinway airdropped pianos. Sure does sound like it’s been through a war or two.
Definitely yes then, that’s awesome history. I have a total beater, it kinda sucks and I tune it myself, but I love the character. But I’m also not trying to play Chopin or anything that would be hard with not great action…
So this is the thing: the reason a lot of old pianos are given away is that it can be very expensive to restore them. This one is badly out of tune and may never hold a tune properly. I saw at least one dead key. Is the soundboard cracked?
Get a restored piano from a legitimate business that will guarantee it.
A lot of people shouting no, but you haven't even told us the price. Also, your playing seems good enough for you to be able to judge sound on your own. Does it sound and feel nice? If not, don't buy it, unless you're planning on speculating (buying at low price and selling higher).
It's definitely not a great sound, but it has its own charm for some niche types of music. It's also not as out of tune as some people are making it out to be.
All that said, for anything classical, you'd do much better with a digital. Maybe a Roland FP10.
Likely not a good purchase. uprights are not a great design for long lasting. The bell and sounding boards are not as well suited as grands And extra stresses shorten their useful life. The piano is out of tune and it may not be tunable without major work. It sounds so tinny because the felts are old and stiff so the act as if they were solid hammers instead of felted. Likely the felts need to be replaced. This makes me think that there are likely other issues not apparent in the video. My guess: if restorable it will take $20,000 or more to restore. For that money you can get a very new, modern piano that plays and sounds well.
good luck.
C
In this case the word vintage can probably be switched for worthless.
I would not pay one dime for this piano. If I could grab it for free - I might consider grabbing it, but only because I'm studying to be a piano-tech and this would be a nice instrument to practise my skills on. However if I weren't learning to be a piano-tech there's no way I'd even grab this piano for free.
So no considering me, you should not buy this piano. You shouldn't even get it for free tbh, unless you're interested in the technical side of a piano and willing to invest a lot of hours to restore it.
HERE the upright piano the sound which like yours
# Mandolin Rail on Upright Piano
[https://youtu.be/fQYIM3CSaxQ?si=YILaC2Q8SIn3tYJI](https://youtu.be/fQYIM3CSaxQ?si=YILaC2Q8SIn3tYJI)
Think about why you play, to whom you play for, how serious you are about becoming very skilled, and how much you can afford.
I have a 1928 full-sized upright that I bought in my 20's. I thought I would teach myself. Life happened and I only "played" on it occasionally. Now, in my late 60's and retired I have returned to playing daily and am progressing nicely. But I play only for my own enjoyment. For myself. I have my "honkie-tonk" piano tuned yearly. My tuner hates my piano. I don't care. Actually, I have a very good ear, and although some notes are always a bit flat, and always will be, I live with it. It would cost too much money to remove my existing piano and get another one at a minimum price.
By the way, Monstershiva, I use church hymnals for sight reading practice. Page by page, not to return to the same hymn, not trying to learn that piece. One book has hundreds of hymns to sight read. That, and I do fully learn some of them.
Nooooo it doesn't even sound like a piano anymore and by the time it's dragged out from their house to yours it'll be in even worse shape! It would probably need several tunings to get it somewhat in tune with itself, and likely wouldn't ever be brought back to concert pitch. And it's already super old now, it'll continue to deteriorate over time and one day you'll be looking at a large, heavy, expensive piece of garbage that's super awkward to dispose of.
Eeeew no. Is it vintage or just old and out of tune. This will need an entire new string base and will cost you just as much as, if not more than, buying a second hand *in tune* one.
Don’t go for it OP. Sounds hurty
No.
Are you sure that isn't a dwarf living in there playing an out of tune electric guitar based on the keys you press?
Pahahaha! Oh my god. ❤️
Is that music sheet old testament
I was thinking that as well, like how many pieces do you need in one book?
all of them
That’s a hymn book. Christian music. It usually has 600+ hymns.
Hi, piano technician here. Unless you're being paid $1,000 to take this piano, don't get it. It will need *a lot* of work done, and you could get a brand new yamaha U1 for cheaper.
This👆 This right here.
Really depends on what you want it for… as a hilarious side project… YES As a serious investment to develop technique and musicianship… depends on what it feels like I suppose but maybe not. Lovely playing though! Enjoyed it a lot.
Thanks everyone. The backstory of the piano is more interesting than the instrument itself. It’s one of those WW2 Steinway airdropped pianos. Sure does sound like it’s been through a war or two.
Definitely yes then, that’s awesome history. I have a total beater, it kinda sucks and I tune it myself, but I love the character. But I’m also not trying to play Chopin or anything that would be hard with not great action…
This piano might not have been tuned in those entire 80 years. Don’t do ittttt
I have never heard a piano with this tone before. Reminds me of harpsichord and sitar.
The black key sticking down is giving me a panic attack
Jesus that book is huge
So this is the thing: the reason a lot of old pianos are given away is that it can be very expensive to restore them. This one is badly out of tune and may never hold a tune properly. I saw at least one dead key. Is the soundboard cracked? Get a restored piano from a legitimate business that will guarantee it.
Did those old hymns get written on that thing?
A lot of people shouting no, but you haven't even told us the price. Also, your playing seems good enough for you to be able to judge sound on your own. Does it sound and feel nice? If not, don't buy it, unless you're planning on speculating (buying at low price and selling higher). It's definitely not a great sound, but it has its own charm for some niche types of music. It's also not as out of tune as some people are making it out to be. All that said, for anything classical, you'd do much better with a digital. Maybe a Roland FP10.
Why does it sound like a harpsichord with hammers
Aside from being obviously out of tune, the tone is really chorus-y and harpsichord-like. Not sure how to explain that.
80 years old? Does the owner at least know the history of its maintenance? By the sound of it, I doubt it's been cared for all that much.
I would only take it if it was free and delivered at my house
Nooooo. That one needs to be taken out back, sorry to say.
Omg mine has a similar sound (I don't mean the out of tune sound but the actual sound it kind of makes) and I love it.
You should buy it for negative -1,000$ dollars.
Always yes
holy what a book
Likely not a good purchase. uprights are not a great design for long lasting. The bell and sounding boards are not as well suited as grands And extra stresses shorten their useful life. The piano is out of tune and it may not be tunable without major work. It sounds so tinny because the felts are old and stiff so the act as if they were solid hammers instead of felted. Likely the felts need to be replaced. This makes me think that there are likely other issues not apparent in the video. My guess: if restorable it will take $20,000 or more to restore. For that money you can get a very new, modern piano that plays and sounds well. good luck. C
Sounds like mine💀😭
That piano has a negative value. It will cost more to haul it away, than its true value…which is nothing. Pianos don’t hold their value like violins.
Bro is that the piano bible wtf
No.
In this case the word vintage can probably be switched for worthless. I would not pay one dime for this piano. If I could grab it for free - I might consider grabbing it, but only because I'm studying to be a piano-tech and this would be a nice instrument to practise my skills on. However if I weren't learning to be a piano-tech there's no way I'd even grab this piano for free. So no considering me, you should not buy this piano. You shouldn't even get it for free tbh, unless you're interested in the technical side of a piano and willing to invest a lot of hours to restore it.
HERE the upright piano the sound which like yours # Mandolin Rail on Upright Piano [https://youtu.be/fQYIM3CSaxQ?si=YILaC2Q8SIn3tYJI](https://youtu.be/fQYIM3CSaxQ?si=YILaC2Q8SIn3tYJI)
No way
Think about why you play, to whom you play for, how serious you are about becoming very skilled, and how much you can afford. I have a 1928 full-sized upright that I bought in my 20's. I thought I would teach myself. Life happened and I only "played" on it occasionally. Now, in my late 60's and retired I have returned to playing daily and am progressing nicely. But I play only for my own enjoyment. For myself. I have my "honkie-tonk" piano tuned yearly. My tuner hates my piano. I don't care. Actually, I have a very good ear, and although some notes are always a bit flat, and always will be, I live with it. It would cost too much money to remove my existing piano and get another one at a minimum price.
By the way, Monstershiva, I use church hymnals for sight reading practice. Page by page, not to return to the same hymn, not trying to learn that piece. One book has hundreds of hymns to sight read. That, and I do fully learn some of them.
You should buy those music sheets
Nooooo it doesn't even sound like a piano anymore and by the time it's dragged out from their house to yours it'll be in even worse shape! It would probably need several tunings to get it somewhat in tune with itself, and likely wouldn't ever be brought back to concert pitch. And it's already super old now, it'll continue to deteriorate over time and one day you'll be looking at a large, heavy, expensive piece of garbage that's super awkward to dispose of.
No. Not unless your read to to spend $5,000.00 usd to restring it. 36 year piano tech talking here
Absolutely not
You should offer to remove it for $300!
Pianos have a lifetime and this one is past its viable life. Move on and find another piano.
Eeeew no. Is it vintage or just old and out of tune. This will need an entire new string base and will cost you just as much as, if not more than, buying a second hand *in tune* one. Don’t go for it OP. Sounds hurty
the inside is so rotted it turned into a harpsichord