What to Look for in a Second-Hand Piano

We frequently see the consequences of poorly researched purchases. Buying privately on platforms like Gumtree, eBay, or Facebook Marketplace can save you money, but you must know what to look for in a second hand piano.

Often, those perceived bargains end up costing far more than the initial headline price.

We use a specific technician’s checklist when inspecting a piano as a potential intake.

This guide shares those exact steps, minus the heavier diagnostic tools.

Before you go to see the piano

Before visiting, ask the seller for the make, model, serial number, tuning history, and detailed photos. We strongly advise gathering as much information as possible before you even leave your house.

Preparation is your best defense against buying a complete money pit. A well-maintained piano typically boasts a useful lifespan of 50 to 90 years.

Neglected instruments deteriorate rapidly within just a couple of decades. We suggest asking the seller a few highly specific questions.

Ask the seller for the following details:

• Make, model, and serial number. Cross-reference the age using an online database like the Pierce Piano Atlas or the brand’s own serial-number table.
• When it was last tuned. “Six months ago” is a good sign. “Twenty years ago” is a major warning. A standard domestic tuning in the UK currently averages £70 to £90.
• Whether anything has been repaired. Honest sellers will mention the history. Vague sellers are usually hiding something.
• How long they have owned it and where it has lived. Pianos thrive in the UK when kept at a stable 45% to 60% relative humidity. Placing them near radiators or single-glazed windows causes immense structural damage over time.
• Detailed photos. Request clear pictures of the keyboard, the interior top lid open, and the rear soundboard.

At the piano: what to look for in a second hand piano

A proper inspection requires testing every key, chord, hammer, and pedal for structural integrity. We always start our physical inspection at the keyboard.

1. Play every single key

A standard acoustic piano has 88 keys, and you need to test every single one. Start at the bass and work up to the treble, one note at a time.

We listen for a few distinct warning signs. You are listening for:

• Notes that do not sound. This usually indicates a broken hammer or string.
• Notes that sound twice. This double-speak is usually a regulation issue, though it sometimes indicates worse problems within the action.
• Notes that buzz or rattle. Loose parts, a cracked soundboard, or broken dampers create these harsh vibrations.
• Huge tonal differences. Adjacent notes should sound similar in character.

A handful of slightly uneven notes is completely normal on an older instrument. Widespread inconsistency means you will face major regulation or voicing work.

2. Play chords and listen for beating unisons

Listen for a wobbling or beating sound, which indicates the piano has not been tuned recently. We check the tuning stability next.

Each note on a piano uses one, two, or three strings tuned identically to create a single pitch. There are roughly 230 strings inside an average piano holding about 18 tons of combined tension. Widespread beating unisons is a clear sign the strings have drifted apart.

We always warn buyers about pitch raises. A piano severely below the standard A440 concert pitch requires this double tuning. This pitch raise service in the UK typically costs around £130 to £150, rather than the standard £80 fee.

3. Look at the hammers

Look for deep grooves, compressed felt, or visible damage on the hammer shanks. We highly recommend looking closely at the internal mechanics.

Lift the top lid or remove the upper front panel to expose the action. Look straight at the line of felt hammers. We examine the condition of the densely compressed wool felt.

You are looking for:

• Deep grooves. The strings cut into the hammer face over time. Some grooving is expected on an older piano, but deep grooves mean the hammers need re-shaping or complete replacement.
• Compressed, hardened felt. Tap a hammer with your fingernail. It should sound soft, not woody.
• Visible wear or damage. Check the hammer shanks and flanges for any cracked wood or missing pins.

4. Check the pinblock (tuning pin tightness)

Gently wiggle a tuning pin to check for a loose pinblock, which is a fatal structural flaw. We consider this the single biggest structural concern on an older piano.

The pinblock is a multi-laminated hardwood component holding all those high-tension tuning pins. Ask the seller if you can touch one of the tuning pins while the top lid is raised.

We find that a sound pinblock holds the pins rock-solid. If any pin moves noticeably under finger pressure, the pinblock is loose.

The piano will absolutely not hold tuning, making it musically useless. We view this repair as a major undertaking, effectively rebuilding the entire piano.

5. Inspect the soundboard

Use a torch to check the back of the piano for cracks, bridge separation, or rusty strings. We always grab a torch to inspect the soundboard from the back of an upright or under a grand.

This large sheet of wood, usually made of Sitka spruce, acts as the primary amplifier. Wood reacts strongly to the UK’s fluctuating indoor humidity. We look carefully for signs of stress.

You are looking for:

• Cracks. Minor hairline cracks might be fine or they might need shimming, which is a technician’s judgement call. Big structural cracks often mean the piano is not worth restoring.
• Separation at the bridges. The bridges transfer string vibration to the soundboard, so any separation destroys the tone.
• Rust on strings. Surface rust is purely cosmetic. Deep pitting means the strings are nearing the end of their life, and a full restringing costs upwards of £2,000.

6. Test the pedals

Play a long note with each pedal pressed to ensure it engages smoothly and releases fully. We finish the quick checks at the pedals.

Most standard pianos have three distinct pedals. We test each one to ensure proper mechanical response.

• Right pedal (sustain). This should hold the note echoing until you release your foot.
• Middle pedal. This function varies. It acts as a sostenuto on grands or a bass sustain on most uprights.
• Left pedal (soft). This should change the tone noticeably. On uprights, this usually works by moving the hammers physically closer to the strings.

All pedals should engage smoothly and release fully. Squeaks, clunks, and sticky returns are incredibly common, but they should factor into your final offer.

The single biggest red flag

The single biggest red flag is a loose pinblock, which prevents the piano from holding its tune. We walk away immediately from any piano displaying this fatal flaw.

Everything else on this list is fixable at a reasonable cost. A loose pinblock is an entirely different story. We know this repair effectively means rebuilding the piano from the heavy iron frame up.

Replacing a pinblock demands stripping the strings and removing the cast iron plate. Workshop work of this magnitude starts at £4,000 and can easily exceed £10,000 depending on the model. We strongly advise caution. If there is any doubt in your mind, walk away or pay for a technician’s pre-purchase inspection.

Pay for a pre-purchase inspection

A professional inspection costs £100 to £150 and involves a technician spending an hour evaluating the internal mechanics. We highly recommend spending the money on this professional evaluation.

A qualified technician will spend 45 to 60 minutes on a pre-purchase inspection in the UK. They will check everything on this list and more, including things you simply cannot see without specialised tools:

• Hidden soundboard cracks behind the frame.
• Worn action centres requiring repinning.
• Micro-cracks in the bridges.

We view this fee as essential insurance money on a piano costing £1,500 or more. It catches the expensive mistakes before you commit to moving a 200kg instrument into your living room.

The alternative

The alternative to buying privately is purchasing a fully serviced, reconditioned piano from a reputable showroom. We offer a much simpler route if you want to skip all of this stress. Buy from a showroom where the technician has already done the heavy lifting.

Every piano on the Keys & Co. floor has been through the workshop, inspected, regulated, voiced, and tuned. We remove the mechanical risk, which represents a large part of what the price tag actually covers on second-hand pianos.

A fully reconditioned Yamaha U1, for example, typically retails between £3,000 and £4,000 today and will easily last another 40 years. See our pre-owned pianos range for what that looks like in practice.

We have one final piece of advice. Knowing exactly what to look for in a second hand piano is your best defence. The next guide, common problems in older pianos, gives you the full list of what to watch out for.