This is a post for anybody looking to get rid of a piano -or that is looking at obtaining a piano!
If you are looking to obtain a piano, here is a list of some not-so-FAQs to consider when scouring Craigslist for inexpensive or FREE* pianos...
Q: Where is the piano located?
A: This one baffles me... but I'm going to guess that it's in a basement. Usually, when a family gets to a point of wanting "that piano gone", they've already gone to the trouble at some point in time of getting it into a basement. Out of sight. Out of mind... Right?
Q: How are you going to move it?
A: Think hard about this one... Moving a piano requires a small team of people. If they are a team of people that have never moved a piano before -and you consider them friends right now... After your experience, they will be a team of people that HAVE moved a piano -and might no longer consider themselves to be as close of a friend as when you started... Not joking. What's my point? Hire a piano mover. Do your friends, family, and people who are wanting to get rid of the piano a favor, and hire a piano mover. The cost of a piano mover is less expensive than losing friends. Budget for about $200 to move a piano out of a main floor and add $100 for every flight of stairs the piano will need to go up or down. Again, it baffles me that people manage to get pianos into basements...
Q: Where are you going to move it?
A: Again, think about stairs!
Piano movers will happily move your piano from point A to point B, but consider the stairs! Your easiest and most inexpensive piano-move will be from one main floor to another main floor. Again, budget for about $200 (total) to move a piano out of a main floor and into another main floor.
Also, to avoid the tuning from going in and out every time the temperature and humidity change, the placement of your piano should be on an interior wall of your house or apartment.
Q: When was the last time it was tuned?
A: This will determine how many tunings will be necessary in the next year or two.
After being moved, the piano will need to sit in its new location for two weeks. A piano should be tuned every six to nine months (as a regular practice). If the piano hasn't been tuned in years... or decades... the tuner won't be able to fully tune the instrument. It'll require a tuning every 3 months or so for the first year. After the piano has been successfully tuned to an A440 pitch, the 6-9 months rule will set in. Having a piano tuned costs approximately $75-$125 each time. Plan accordingly.
So, if you're looking to get rid of that old piano -instead of declaring that it's FREE (as long as the buyer moves it) -do the buyer a favor and split the cost of a piano mover. I'd be more inclined to buy a piano that is for sale at $125 with moving arrangements taken care of than a move-it-yourself special any day! The buyer's $125 will cover half of the piano moving costs. You're paying $125 to get the piano out of your house in 20 minutes without having your doorframes obliterated! Sounds good to me!
Just something to consider. :-)
For what its worth, I've purchased a piano for a show in the past. The seller was willing to move it for me, and they wanted $100 for it. That's the closest I've ever come to a "FREE" piano. May I note that I also had to pay to have it tuned right before the show. Still, it landed me less than what it would've cost to hire a piano mover. The show went on without a hitch and we ended up making our money back and then some. It was one of the best music performance decisions I've made in my adult life! After all, the show isn't quite the same with an electric keyboard. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Have you ever had to deal with a nightmare situation with a piano? I'd love to hear about it! Send me a message or leave me a comment! I look forward to hearing from you!
Until next time,
-T.