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Instrument setups
Pianos:
There is nothing like a real piano. And, of pianos, nothing like a grand piano. If you have the space, don't consider anything but a good quality grand piano. Well-maintained, it will be a family treasure and a good investment.
Always wash your hands before you play a piano.
Used pianos will save you many thousands of dollars. However, selecting one is a daunting task. I provide some basic information to find a candidate, but before buying it, have a piano technician inspect it. You can pay a lot more and buy a used piano from a dealer; you will get peace of mind.
However, there are so many people selling their pianos, especially considering the economy; it's a buyer's market and many great deals exist.
Pianos have thousands of moving parts. This includes springs, felts, hammers, complicated actions, strings that corrode, and many parts you can't see. After you check out a piano, before you buy it, pay for a technician to analyze the piano. Buying a piano that needs unexpected work can cost you many thousands of dollars.
So first pick out likely candidates that will pass your test, as an inspection will cost about $150. It's like taking a used car to a mechanic, and you probably know more about cars than pianos.
First, play the high and low notes on the piano. The bass strings should sound rich or full.
Upright pianos. A very short piano, like a spinet, will never sound good. Look for pianos over 46" tall and hopefully taller if you want a rich bass. In uprights, I like 52" for a rich bass. In general, the longer the string length, the better the sound. In olden days they made pianos bigger than 52," but they would need to be restored.
Fully restored, they can be very special instruments, but if it doesn't say Steinway, you'll never get your money back on an upright piano.
In Japan they think it's disgusting to buy a used piano, except for a golden age name American piano. Consequently, they send 5-year-old Yamaha and Kawai pianos to the US in containers. They are called grey market pianos and often excellent deals.
Grand pianos have many advantages. They usually have longer strings. They are beautiful and become a showpiece for your house.
Remember, the longer the length, the better the sound.
A grand piano over 7' will sound exponentially better, yet they are harder to sell since most people don't have the room. If you can fit a piano over 7', you'll get a better piano and perhaps a better deal if you find a motivated seller.
Good quality grands that are well maintained will actually increase in value. It is often worth the money to restore an old quality grand piano but rarely worth restoring an upright.
When I lived in Florida, I had a fully restored 7'2" Knabe Grand.
I sure miss that piano.
How to Check Out a Piano:
Play all the notes; they all should feel the same, and every note should work. It might be a minor repair, but only a technician can judge that. There are lots of used pianos, so why look for a headache?
If you are buying a used piano and it is more than a half note flat, generally pass the piano by. Often people ruin pianos by thinking since no one is playing it there is no reason to tune it. They are ruining their piano.
If you must buy a piano that is over a half note flat, or perhaps there is a piano in your family, it will require a risky, expensive pitch raise. This means it will require at least 7 rough tunings and 1 fine tuning. You will have to pay for all those tunings. In the process, strings may break and pins may snap. Only a technician can judge if a piano is worth having a pitch raise.
If you own a piano, even if no one is playing it, get it tuned every 6 months or it will lose most of its value.
Look over the sound board; hopefully it is free of cracks. Some cracks can be excused, but not if they rattle. Play the piano and listen for any rattles.
The hammers must be filed as grooves develop and eventually need replacement. Check that the hammers don't have deep grooves, or you will have to pay to resurface or replace the hammers. This can be a minor or major repair; only your technician can determine that.
The felts that stop the strings from ringing require maintenance and replacement, perhaps every 20 years. When you lift your finger off a note, the felt must stop it from ringing. If it rings, you will probably need to replace the felts. This is an expensive repair.
Pianos over 35 years old generally need the strings replaced. Look at the strings; the brass strings should still be shiny. It can be worth restoring a grand, only rarely with the exceptions I note below, to restore an upright. Restring a piano is very expensive and only worth it on a fine instrument.
Note: Dealers will clean and shine old strings. Play them.
Keys may need to be replaced. If they are cracked or chIf appearance is important, pianos can be beautiful instruments. Regularly clean them with lemon oil as it protects the wood. A refinished piano can be beautiful. A showcase for a home. Frankly, for most customers, refinishing a piano is the best way to add value as most consumers want pieces of furniture more than musical instruments.
On the other hand, a good working instrument that is cosmetically challenged can be a great deal. You can improve the appearance of any old piano by rubbing many coats of oil into the finish.
Sometimes serious piano players buy older pianos, have the strings and actions replaced, but do nothing with the furniture. When in financial need, these pianos hit the market.
Older instruments used better woods and materials but are most likely to need work. Sometimes grandma's piano has sat in homes with no maintenance in decades. They may not be tuneable, or they more offer something great. Restoring such an instrument may be expensive but can provide something special. Be prepared to spend thousands of dollars to restore an old piano.
Special Older Pianos Worth
Personally, I would only restore an older upright that was at least 52" tall or a grand piano 6' or bigger.
Some other pianos from the Golden Age of Pianos were as good or better than Steinway, both in uprights or grands. If you are getting a piano to keep and want a piano far better than a new piano and are willing to pay thousands of dollars for a restoration, you can look for these brands.
Knabe
Chickoring
Maslin and Hammer
Schimmel (Actually, the best new upright you can buy today)
Bosendorf (Still made great today, better than a Steinway)
Newer Yamaha and Kawais (Not made of real wood, but good quality.
Toyo: This is an odd bird. It is a high-quality piano sold new in Japan to compete with Yamaha and Kawai, almost as good, but not sold new in the US. They are sent over with other used Japanese Pianos, and since no one knows about these pianos, they are much more discounted than Yamaha and Kawai.
Young Chang: Yamaha worked with them to improve their quality. For a recent model, they can be an excellent deal.
Petrov: A good newer European piano company.
Huge companies bought these Knabe, Maslin, and Hammer and Chickering and put the names on cheap pianos. Some technicians have some of these original great pianos for sale that they have fully restored. So, if you see a piano that says Knabe, it probably is not one of the originals.
For example, old Knabes were heavier and made with better materials than Steinways. There are computer programs to restring old Knabes that make them sound like magic. I loved my old restored Knabe.
You can get a great piano, far better than any new piano you can buy today by buying one of these fully restored older pianos.
However, unlike a Steinway, few people know about these superior pianos and will be difficult to resell. If you want a piano to keep, they are something special.
During the Golden Age of Pianos, between 1900 and 1930 they used better materials, literally heating the factory with better woods that would be used on modern pianos. Some of the golden age pianos are made of really solid material and worth restoring, even if they are not the name. Don't expect the original parts to be worth salvaging, but you could get a piano far better than any new piano with few exceptions.
However, these restored pianos without a prestigious name will be difficult to resell.
Electric Pianos:
Only consider an electric piano with 88 keys. The keys should be "velocity sensitive", that is, if you hit it harder it will play louder. Don't even consider a keyboard with less than 88 keys.
Electric pianos do not require tuning or maintenance. New electric pianos depreciate very quickly.
However, older, high-end electric pianos may have great sound and action, but not have the stupid bells and whistles you don't need to learn piano. They can be great deals. You don't need a piano that can play itself; you need one that sounds good, is in good condition, and plays like a real piano.
You can see them listed on EBAY and Craigslist. Many were bought with intentions to learn piano, and that faded. Stick to Yamaha, Kawai, and Roland for electric pianos. Other companies make more expensive synthesizers, which you don't need. In fact, all the toys are distractions from learning.
In addition, should you live where volume is a problem, you can play them quietly or even use headphones. Thus they are great for students.
In fact, college students should get electric keyboards not made as pieces of furniture, as they move often.
Here was an older Kawai electric piano I used to have.
If you by and older, high end piano, it may not have the
latest bells and whistles, but it will pay and sound great.
String Bass Setup: A setup generally includes "dressing" (providing the perfect shape) of the fingerboard, adjusting the nut, setting up a bridge, installing strings, and cutting and fitting a sound post. The quality of the setup not only makes the bass easier to play but has a huge influence on the sound of the bass.
The specific placement of the soundpost dramatically changes the sound of an instrument, often changing a dog into a highly responsive instrument.
Most stores that don't specialize in string basses generally have a cheap setup including inexpensive strings. A proper setup can cost hundreds of dollars but makes the bass much easier to play, allows lower action, and sounds much better.
While you'll pay somewhat more at the specialized bass shops, the money is well spent. In the long run, your instrument will be easier to play, sound much better, and over time save you a great deal of money and frustration.
Strings: Strings vary greatly in the amount of tension, and low-tension strings are much easier to play. This applies to all instruments, though I focus on String Basses.
New technologies have created amazing strings with a synthetic core and metal wrappings. They offer low tension, can be both bowed or played pizzicato.
Players using higher tension string require more disciplined practice and playing.