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If you are a novice piano buyer trying to buy a used piano, there are several types of instruments that should be instant “red flags”. Each of these types of used piano has one or more potentially critical problems severe enough that a buyer would be best-served to totally avoid them. There will be a few pianos in some groups that are exceptions to the rule and might be safe to buy after a technician’s inspection (some of these possibilities will be mentioned), but to be as safe as possible you should avoid them completely. In most cases, if you buy one of these pianos you will end up spending several hundred to several thousand dollars more than should be needed for basic piano maintenance just to get the piano as playable as possible and keep it there. Unfortunately, even after you spend the extra money you will not be happy with what you have.
(This is Part 1 in a series. Each post will address at least one of the types of used piano in question. Your comments and questions are welcomed.)
Any piano with a pneumatic player mechanism-
If, when you open the top of the case, you see a large number of small rubber hoses, you are looking at a pneumatic player (pneumatic = air-powered). While possibly a beautiful instrument, assuming that it is in good tune, all the keys work correctly and it sounds great when played, this piano is going to be a nightmare to maintain. You WILL need a technician who is trained on players for even basic piano care and maintenance. Keep in mind that only a small percentage of technicians have the necessary training and expertise to properly care for a player piano. In most cases, the piano technician will have to move a major portion of the player mechanism just to tune the piano, even more if he has to do any repairs. . The rubber hoses and the bellows which drive the player will crack and develop leaks over time. (They are also a favorite snack of rodents!) If you do get a pneumatic player piano, expect to pay extra for even a basic tuning due to the extra time and effort required from the technician. If you are certain that you do want the player effect, look into one of the after-market computerized systems on the market. The mechanism is simpler, less prone to breakdown and less of a challenge for technicians called in for routine piano maintenance. Just keep in mind that to buy a used piano with a player mechanism of any kind will not help little Johnny to become a good pianist. It might be enough of a distraction to have the opposite effect.
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