We’re busy people these days, and too many of us find we just don’t know what to do with an old piano.

A piano is a big value in a home and great to have around when it’s new – but it depreciates over time. In fact, you can count on it.

Pianos start out nice and new, but time takes a toll, and as an asset that is heavy and takes up a lot of space, the piano can quickly become a liability.

A piano can be a lot like a used car – if it doesn’t work well, it’s hard to get rid of, and there are a lot of questions about how to maximize its remaining value.

Strings, Hammers and Other Bits

Also, like a car, a piano is a complex thing.

As an instrument, it’s made up of many individual strings and hammers that have to work well together, as well as keys and other small pieces that can malfunction or break, or become worn out over time.

Common issues with aging pianos include:

  • Old, brittle strings
  • Incorrect tensioning
  • Sticky keys
  • Buzzing or rattling
  • Incorrect tuning or tuning “drift”

The Costs of Dealing with an Old Piano

Whatever you’re going to pay to implement a solution for your old piano, you’re going to pay something.

Just the cost of moving a piano is $300 in many areas – so that means that unless you have a special agreement with some contractor, a family member or someone else who will give you a discount, you’re starting off with that base cost from the very beginning. It’s not easy to buy, sell or trade pianos – to move them between residences. If they’re not working well, ‘just getting rid’ of them often isn’t a good way to go.

A Trained Inspector

At Fifth Octave, we help out clients all over the Green Bay area with all sorts of piano issues. If your piano doesn’t sound right, doesn’t work right after all these years, or you want to explore your options, we can help provide skilled, professional counsel to look at your piano, and also repair your piano to get it in good working order.

Jason Davies isn’t just a tuner and an inspector – he’s also a musician. The value of the piano is tied to who’s using it – what your musical experience is, how you view music, and what your musical goals are. Besides that, Jason has invested in ongoing education and training in order to provide the best piano service around.

That’s why clients can often get further and get better solutions with Fifth Octave than they would from just calling someone out of the yellow pages. Call us and ask about any issues you have with a piano in your home or business, and what you should do with it.