Commonly Made Mistakes:

BUYING USED INSTEAD OF NEW
Many times technicians will hear parents say that they do not want to make an investment in a piano until their child demonstrates a level of competence and interest. Subsequently, they go out and acquire a piano that is no longer suitable for study purposes which eventually frustrates and stalls the student. A parent would not consider buying an outdated computer for their child to develop computer skills.

A new piano generally has a good resale value, a solid warranty and can be purchased to fulfill a specific need. With pianos, you not only get what you pay for, you get what you settle for.

NOT HIRING A TECHNICIAN TO EXAMINE A USED PIANO PRIOR TO PURCHASE
The cost of moving a piano is $250 and up. It is well worth the fee to obtain the opinion of a competent RPT before making a bid. The industry is littered with bad experiences of those who gambled.

NOT SERVICING A PIANO YEARLY
If you cannot afford to service your piano on at least a yearly basis, you cannot afford to own a piano. You would not buy a car and then say that you cannot afford gasoline. When pianos are permitted to go through periods of neglect, the pitch of the instrument falls, action centers can become contaminated, pests like moths and mice can infest the instrument, climatic damage goes unchecked, piano values plummet, this list goes on and on. Perhaps the argument is best summarized by saying that an expensive/quality instrument that is badly out of service is no more musical or enjoyable than a cheaply made piano.

PLACING THE PIANO IN A POOR LOCATION
Pianos can have a life expectancy of several generations, if provided proper service and a healthy climate. Excessive dryness over time will cause soundboards and bridges to split, excessive humidity can cause string corrosion and action verdigris, direct sunlight tends to cause bleaching of the finish. Consider the advice of your piano technician over your home decorator when considering piano location to obtain maximum utility from your instrument.

IMPROPER CLEANING
It may be hard to believe, but a piano can be destroyed by an application of spray polish that reaches the wrestplank. Keytops can be blinded when fingernail polish remover is used to clean fingernail polish from the keyboard. Spotting on the finish may occur if water is permitted to dry on its own, rather than being wiped dry.

In short, a good relationship with a competent technician, and regular communication (through service and telephone/cyberspace) will help you to make the best decisions for you, your family and the beautiful musical investment we call a piano.

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A Brief Aside About the Piano