How to Inspect a Second-Hand Piano Before You Buy

How to Inspect a Second-Hand Piano Before You Buy

Second-hand pianos can be excellent value — or an expensive mistake, depending entirely on what’s happening beneath the surface. Here’s what to actually check before you commit.

Start With the Sound, Not the Looks

A piano can have a beautifully polished cabinet and still be mechanically tired. Play every note across the full range, listening for buzzing, dead notes, or keys that don’t return properly. Hold the sustain pedal and play a chord — the notes should ring clearly and evenly, not muffled or uneven in volume.

Check the Soundboard

Look inside (on an upright, remove the top lid; on a grand, look beneath the raised lid) for cracks in the large wooden soundboard. Hairline cracks aren’t always fatal, but wide or numerous cracks affect tone and signal the piano has experienced significant humidity stress over its life.

Test the Action and Pedals

Press each key with even pressure — it should feel consistent, not sticky or loose. Check that the sustain pedal lifts dampers cleanly and that the soft pedal (una corda) shifts the action noticeably. Sluggish or unresponsive action often means the felt hammers and mechanism need regulation, which is a real cost to factor in.

Inspect the Strings and Tuning Pins

Rust on strings suggests humidity exposure and possible reduced tone quality. Tuning pins should feel snug when a technician checks them — loose pins mean the piano won’t hold a tuning, which is a costly repin job.

Ask About History

• How many previous owners, and how was it used (home practice vs. heavy institutional use)?

• When was it last tuned and by whom?

• Has it ever been moved through humid storage, flooding, or long periods unplayed?

Why a Professional Assessment Is Worth It

Many of these issues aren’t obvious to an untrained buyer, and a piano that looks pristine can still need thousands in hidden repairs. A short professional inspection before purchase often costs far less than discovering a soundboard crack or dead action after the piano is already in your home.

Considering a Used Piano?

Book an inspection with us before you finalise a second-hand purchase — or browse our own pre-inspected and reconditioned pianos, each brought back to proper playing condition before it reaches our showroom floor.