Graham Howard

Editor’s comments/ This article explains how to get a correct valuation for your piano and things you should never do when determining your piano’s value.

The time has come when you need that space in the corner of your living room and you have an old, BIG piano that has been sitting there, untouched, for many years. You wonder how you can get rid of this piano.

Maybe it is worth something?

How much will it sell for?

How do you find out the value?

It is VERY OLD, so maybe it is an antique? In fact, could it be worth a fortune?

These are questions that I get asked on a daily basis, so I decided to write this article to help out everybody in this predicament.

 

Graham Howard – Author and Piano Advisor.
Email for piano advice: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk
or Call 020 8367 5107

 

> Get a FREE piano valuation here

Now, what I should say first is that the common belief that an old piano is an antique and worth a lot of money is simply not true.

Generally, the older the piano is, the less it is worth. The reasons it’s worth less is because a piano is classed as a musical instrument – not a piece of furniture – which means the value of a piano depends almost entirely on the condition and quality of the parts on the inside. The piano’s cabinet – no matter how nice it looks on the outside – usually has very little bearing on the price.

So a beautiful looking piano that is over 100 years old that has brass candlestick holders, intricate engraving, original parts inside and beautifully shaped legs is more than likely worthless. In fact, you would do well if someone took the piano away from you for. Usually you would have to pay around £80 to £120 to have the piano removed from your house and dumped.

I know this sounds a little harsh, but it is reality. I like to be honest and tell you exactly how it really is.

A fairly new piano doesn’t automatically mean that it’s worth a lot more either…

If your piano is a famous brand like Bechstein, Bluthner, Steinway, Yamaha, Kemble, Kawai, etc. and is less than 25 years old, then it will usually have a fairly high valuation.

Modern pianos that have been made in Germany, UK, Japan or Czech Republic are usually high quality.

Pianos made in China are usually made from cheap materials (there are exceptions to the rule though… just send me an email: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk and I will recommend some well made Chinese pianos). I have seen pianos that are just 5 years old that look great on the outside, but the parts on the inside are completely worn and the sound is very harsh.

Here is a list of the best piano brands

 

So how can you value your piano?

The best way is to ask a professional piano tuner/technician to come and take a look at your piano. Make sure the tuner is a member of the Piano Tuners Association (PTA). Members of the PTA have passed a high level tuning test and also completed general piano repairs. They are experienced and the only real piano experts.

Do not ask your piano teacher or pianist friend to value, or choose a piano for you. Piano teachers and pianists usually no next to nothing about the inner workings of pianos (there are always exceptions to the rule though).

A piano tuner will usually charge you for a valuation. The cost can be anywhere from £100 to £250 depending on your area and the piano tuner’s expertise.

It is well worth it though…

You will get your piano examined by someone that knows what to look for. Once you get that valuation you will know exactly how much you can sell your piano for. Sometimes the piano tuner will even buy it from you.

Be careful if you ask a piano dealer or shop to value your piano. The shop is usually interested in buying secondhand pianos and will probably give it a low valuation in the hope that they can buy it off you on the cheap.

Never call someone that advertises that they buy pianos. You usually see these adverts in Yellow Pages or your local newspaper.

The ad will say something like this:

“All types of pianos bought.
Highest prices paid in cash.
Call for immediate collection”.

These guys make a living from picking up decent pianos from next to nothing and selling them on to piano shops or private buyers for a high profit. So you can guess that they will value your piano extremely low and find as many faults as possible to justify their low offer. Some of these faults may not even exist!

You will not be able to value a piano yourself, unless you have the time to go on a piano tuning and repair course for at least 2-3 years. The only way to know how much a piano is worth is by acquiring the expertise knowledge.

Pianos consist of at least 5,000 parts – MUCH more complicated than a car – and if one part is overlooked it can be the difference of valuing a piano at a high price or a complete write off.

 

Example:

A good looking piano, casework has been French polished, the sound is OK but the piano needs tuning, the parts inside look new, the piano is not that old, no problems seem apparent. This piano could be valued at a fairly high price?

BUT…

If the tuning plank is cracked – this is usually very difficult to see – then the tuning pins will probably be loose and will not hold the high tension of the strings. This piano will need a new tuning plank, new pins, and new strings. This could cost anywhere from £1000 to £2500 depending on the work involved.

 

Another example:

There is a crack at the bottom of the soundboard. To see this, you have to take the piano’s bottom board out and check the soundboard thoroughly. Again, this can easily be missed if you don’t know what to look for. You also need to know which type of soundboard crack is serious, and which type is not an immediate problem.

So give your local piano tuner a call, it’s a safe bet and usually worth spending the valuation fee.
You can find a list of piano tuners here.
And you can get your piano valued here

 

Please note: This article is copyright and protected. You may publish this article on your website providing you leave the article “as is” and retain the author’s biography box. All contents Copyright © 2008-2023. All rights reserved. Graham Howard, author of The Digital Piano Bible (a buyer’s guide) and The Howard Score (piano rating system).

 

Tip 1

Set a goal

Have a goal every time you sit down to practice playing scales and arpeggios over and over ‘will not’ improve your playing. A goal would be to master a chosen piece within a certain amount of time by practicing it for 15 minutes EVERY DAY. Then when it has been perfected, transposing it into another key.

 

Graham Howard – Author and Piano Advisor.
Email for piano advice: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk
or Call 020 8367 5107

 

Tip 2

Accompany a friend

Try to accompany a friend or play in a band. Playing with other people is THE BEST WAY to improve your rhythm. You have to really concentrate very hard to stay in time and this action alone will improve your rhythm, sight reading and musical ear like no other. It is also a lot of fun and breaks down the boredom of practicing alone.

 

Tip 3

Ignore mistakes

Don’t worry about making mistakes. If all we did was worry about making mistakes, we would never get anywhere. We would live in constant fear!

When you are learning a new piece of music for example. If you were to know in advance that you where going to make 25 mistakes before you could play the piece perfectly, would you worry about making these mistakes?… NO! You would want to make these 25 mistakes as quickly as possible… wouldn’t you? What I am trying to say is each mistake you make brings you closer to your goal.

As long as your ear can recognize the mistakes, you can correct them and move on.

 

Tip 4

Learn How To Play Chords First

If you can learn the basic chords first before tackling classical pieces, you will be a long way ahead. Most popular music is based around simple chords and if you can master these, you will be able to play a lot of famous tunes and have great fun doing this.

The classical approach really limits you early on and I find that it discourages most beginners from continuing past their first year. If they were to learn the chord system first and then progress on to classical pieces, I am absolutely certain there would be far fewer students that give up.

 

Tip 5

The Right Mental Approach

Getting your mindset right is probably THE MOST IMPORTANT thing to do. Practicing because you have to and just going through the motions will not get you anywhere. This approach nearly always leads to boredom and eventually giving up.

The way to improve rapidly is to concentrate completely for every minute you set aside for practice and focus on improving one thing. This could be part of a piece, a new chord, a scale or anything you choose.

Seeing this progress gives you a sense of achievement and will keep you going through the session and the next.

 

Tip 6

Make Sure Your Mind Is Clear

If you have had a bad day, received some bad news, been in an argument etc. then you should not practice. You must get yourself in the right frame of mind in able to make the most out of your practice session.

Try going for a walk over the park – get some fresh air. Read a book, watch some TV – whatever it takes to get you in the right mood ready to practice and make some improvements to your playing.

If you still can’t get yourself in the right mood then skip today’s session and come back tomorrow focused.

 

Tip 7

Visualize

Many sports coaches teach the skill of visualization. Athletes are taught to see themselves running and winning an event. They see themselves from the starting gun step-by-step all the way to the finish line, breaking the tape, arms in the air and the crowd applauding their victory.

When the race ‘for real’ comes around, they are mentally prepared and more likely to run to the best of their ability.

It is no different to playing the piano…

Try visualizing yourself playing a piece of music that you have been practicing recently or are about to perform.

Picture the piece of music in your mind, the fingering for each note, your fingers pressing down the piano keys, the hand positions and chord shapes. Try to hear the piece.

You will be amazed at how quickly your playing improves when you can visualize a piece in as much detail as this.

 

Please note: This article is copyright and protected. You may publish this article on your website providing you leave the article “as is” and retain the author’s biography box. All contents Copyright © 2008-2023. All rights reserved. Graham Howard, author of The Digital Piano Bible (a buyer’s guide) and The Howard Score (piano rating system).

 

Comments

I think your seven tips are very good thank you.  I have never really visualised as you mention before but I think it is a good idea and will try this. Somone told me to rest my hands on ther keyboard without fingers touching the keys and with arms and wrists in a suitable position this gives a better sound because the weight of your hands is already there.

Kevin

In order to decide the best place to position your piano, you need to know where NOT to put it. This article will help you choose the ideal location in your house to keep your piano in top condition and extend its life as long as possible.

 

Climate and environment

You need to think carefully about climate and environment when deciding the best place to put your piano…

It’s very important to achieve a constant temperature. Pianos don’t like being in a room that constantly changes (cold at night, hot during the day etc.).

Try your best to keep your piano in a room that has the heating on the low side in the winter and is not too hot and sticky in the summer.

A constant temperature of around 20 centigrade (65-70 Fahrenheit) and a humidity level of between 45 and 60 per cent are ideal. The easiest way to keep an eye on this is to buy a humidifier gauge and stick it on the wall.

 

Graham Howard – Author and Piano Advisor.
Email for piano advice: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk
or Call 020 8367 5107

 

Central heating systems

A piano’s number one enemy!

Before central heating was invented, pianos stayed in tune a lot better and had a much longer life.

Central heating dries the air and will take the moisture out of your piano’s wood. This is a big problem, because most of the parts of your piano are made from wood.

When your heating is off during the night, the humidity rises; when it’s switched back on in the morning, the humidity drops. These changes in humidity cause the wood to expand and shrink, causing your piano to go out of tune. Over a period of time, problems such as: Loose tuning pins, a cracked soundboard, split bridges, wobbly hammers and loose keys can occur.

Central heating can cause the soundboard to crack. Cracked soundboards encourage buzzing noises to appear and in extreme cases, can completely deaden the sound of your piano.

Central heating can dry out the wrest plank. If this happens, the tuning pins that hold the high tension of the strings start to loosen. This results in your piano not being able to stay in tune.

 

Keep your piano away from heat sources

Keep your piano as far away from a radiator or electric heater as possible.

Never put your piano in a room that has under floor heating! This will completely ruin your piano VERY quickly. If your whole house is fitted with under floor heating then all you can do is place a heavy rug underneath it. This will provide some protection for your piano.

Sunshine is very nice, but pianos don’t really care much for a tan!

Direct sunshine coming through a window can be a problem for your piano…

Apart from disturbing the humidity level in your piano, direct sunshine is the cause of another serious issue… fading.

If your piano is under direct sunlight – even for a few days – the wood will start to fade.
A high gloss polyester finish can be completely ruined if left under direct sunlight for too long. Sunshine will also knock your piano out of tune.

Solution – keep your piano away from windows that let sunlight through, or place a heavy cover over your piano to protect it.

 

Kitchens are also a threat

If you have an open plan room (kitchen and living room together) you must keep your piano as far away from your kitchen as possible.

Many times I’ve seen pianos sitting right next to open kitchens. The steam from cooking gets absorbed in the piano’s wood, resulting in an extreme level of humidity. This causes many problems for your piano including: Sluggish and sticking keys, slow hammers and dampers, swelling key lead and expanding felts. This excessive humidity can even cause tuning pins, bridge pins and strings to rust.

If – despite your best efforts to keep your piano away from harm – you still find you’ve got a problem, ask your piano tuner to fit a humidifier inside your piano. This puts back some moisture into your piano’s wood. If your problem is damp, then you need a dehumidifier.

 

Drafts

Pianos don’t get on well with drafts either.

If your piano is next to a window or an outside door that lets in a cold draft, watch out! A piano that is constantly ‘blown on’ will rebel: You’ll find some keys start sticking, dampers stop working and many other annoying things that interfere with your piano’s performance. If you have double-glazing, this will reduce the problem.

 

Which room is best to put your piano?

For those of you lucky enough to have a purpose built music room, great.

Otherwise…

Your dining room is probably the next best place to keep your piano. Dining rooms tend to keep a more constant humidity level and have a lower temperature than other rooms in the house.

 

To summarise:

Where NOT to put your piano:

• Next to a window that lets in sunlight or drafts
• Next to an outside door
• Next to, or in front of a radiator or other heat source
• In a room with under floor heating
• Next to an open kitchen
• Next to, or underneath an air conditioning unit
• In a garage, shed or conservatory

Please note: This article is copyright and protected. You may publish this article on your website providing you leave the article “as is” and retain the author’s biography box. All contents Copyright © 2008-2023. All rights reserved. Graham Howard, author of The Digital Piano Bible (a buyer’s guide) and The Howard Score (piano rating system).

 

Which is Best to Learn on?

Digital pianos sound nothing like a real piano. Upright pianos take up too much room. There’s a lot of conflicting advice floating around. I’ll give you the right piano buying advice so you can make your own decision on whether the digital piano or the upright piano is right for your needs.

Graham Howard – Author and Piano Advisor.
Email for piano advice: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk
or Call 020 8367 5107

 

A brief history of the digital piano

Digital pianos were invented over 26 years ago and when they where first introduced they were pretty terrible, the keys were much too light, spongy and nothing like a real piano. The sound was incredibly bright and the sampling was quite dreadful. You couldn’t really say that it sounded much like a piano at all.

These digital pianos also looked nothing like a real acoustic piano, they had ugly, plastic looking cases that didn’t match any type of furniture in the room. If guests came around it was almost an embarrassment to have this ugly plastic looking machine in the living room. My how things have changed over the last 20 years!

 

A brief history of the upright piano

The upright piano was invented in 1709 by the Italian Cristofori. It was a four octave instrument compared to the seven and a quarter octave instrument of today, with hammers striking the strings just as they do on a modern upright piano. The instrument was invented to meet the need to control dynamics by touch, which could not be achieved on the harpsichord.
The early upright piano went through many changes before it emerged as the instrument we all know today. The Cristofori piano was wing shaped like grand pianos, it had a curved body and a lid that could be elevated. There were also square pianos in which the strings ran from left to right as on the clavichord. And by 1800, there were upright pianos whose strings ran perpendicular to the keyboard. Other names commonly used are: vertical piano or acoustic piano, they mean essentially the same thing.

A typical old fashioned upright piano, tall upright standing, ivory keys, beautiful wood, moulded carvings, stylish legs and brass candlestick holders. The old pianos always had a beautiful warm tone because they were made with quality materials and real wood. The soundboard was seasoned for ages which in turn created a resonant and sustaining tone. The superior quality meant that your piano would easily last a lifetime.

Moving on to modern times
These days your typical starter piano is mass produced in China, Indonesia or Korea with very cheap materials, soundboards made out of trees that were probably knocked down the day before and thrown together as quickly as possible to get distributed around the world.
Well maybe it is not quite as bad as this, but anyway i am sure you get my point.

 

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF ACOUSTIC AND DIGITAL PIANOS

Advantages of Digital Pianos:

1) You can plug in headphones so nobody can hear you play
2) You can turn the volume up or down
3) You can record your music on the instrument itself, or to disc, smart media, floppy etc.
4) You can experiment with lots of different instrument sounds
5) Due to their light weight, digital pianos can easily be moved from room to room
6) Your digital piano will never need tuning or maintenance, which will save you a small fortune
7) You can download songs from the web and play them on your instrument. (Normally the more expensive digital pianos offer this facility)
8) Digital pianos are very reasonably priced for what they are. You can pick one up from as little as £400
9) Digital pianos take up less space than the acoustic piano. They are slightly shorter in length, much lower in height and most importantly about 2/3rds the depth (front to back) of an acoustic piano, thus saving you valuable space

 

Disadvantages of Digital Pianos:

1) The value of your piano depreciates very quickly
2) New models are introduced every 2-3 years making your piano even less valuable and harder to sell

 

Advantages of Upright Pianos

1) Your piano will hold its value over time and if it is looked after it will normally increase over a longer period (normally 20 years plus)
2) The piano has natural acoustic sounds which is produced by the hammer striking the string and then amplified by the soundboard
3) The piano is made from wood, sometimes MDF and is very strong
4) If the piano’s outer casing is damaged it can be repaired easily and fairly cheaply by a French polisher
5) If there is a problem with the piano mechanically, it can normally be fixed by a piano tuner very quickly and cheaply. (With the exception of old pianos that normally need a lot of work)
6) The touch of a real piano is second to none. The deep, rich natural tones enable you to really enjoy playing music
7) You normally get a long warranty with acoustic pianos, anywhere from 5-10 years.

 

Disadvantages of Upright Pianos

1) The upright piano is extremely heavy (can weigh 175kg upwards) and is almost impossible to maneuver without the help of professional piano movers
2) The volume of the piano cannot be turned up or down, it is reliant on the player to control this.
3) The piano needs tuning regularly (normally twice a year) and can cost in the region of £60-£90 a time.
4) The piano will need the occasional maintenance (every 5-10 years)
5) A good, well made piano can be quite expensive (Usually £3000 upwards)
6) Upright pianos take up a lot of room, especially the grands and the taller uprights.
7) They can mark your floor if you try to move them even the slightest bit and because of the immense weight, the wheels or feet leave deep indentations in your floor over a period of time

I hope this article has helped you in your piano buying quest.

 

Please note: This article is copyright and protected. You may publish this article on your website providing you leave the article “as is” and retain the author’s biography box. All contents Copyright © 2008-2023. All rights reserved. Graham Howard, author of The Digital Piano Bible (a buyer’s guide) and The Howard Score (piano rating system).

 

Questions

“A real piano or digital one – this is my dilemma”

Hi Graham

I’m left with the decision of getting my son a `real’ piano or digital one. This is my dilemma. I’d like a digital for it’s looks and size – smaller and more moveable than an acoustic piano. I shall certainly look at your book again to help me decide between the two and to help me chose a digital one, if I go for one. His piano teacher says I’m denying him a proper piano. What are your thoughts?

Many thanks
Esther

Hi Esther

If you go for a digital piano, then it’s vital
you choose one that’s got a fully-weighted
or heavy-weighted key touch.

This is the most important thing to get right
(also to please his piano teacher).

The Broadway range of pianos is a good
place to start with. They offer a range of
digital pianos all with heavy-weighted keys.

Heavy-weighted keys are an exact replica
of a real piano; so your son will develop
the correct technique from early on.

I recommend either the Broadway EZ-102
or BW1. You can see these here:

Broadway EZ-102

Broadway BW1

If you decide to get a real piano then I
recommend buying a re-conditioned one.

We have about 20 in stock at the moment here:
www.ukpianos.co.uk/used-upright-pianos

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

 

Hi,

I downloaded your book but as yet am undecided as to whether to buy digital or acoustic. I play the piano myself and teach piano and singing. I currently have a basic piano which is showing signs of wear, mechanisms going wrong etc so I am wanting to update. Although digital seem to be more cost effective, I am a bit of a purist and feel that an acoustic piano gives a better playing experience so perhaps I should download your acoustic piano book too.

Cheers, Carol

Reply/ Hi Carol

You are absolutely right in saying that an acoustic
piano gives a better playing experience…

The most frequent comment I hear from experienced
players about their digital pianos is that the
sound is just not right… there’s something
missing…

What’s missing is the natural sound that’s a result
of a hammer hitting a string, which then transmits
and amplifies the sound through a real wood
soundboard, bridges and wood cabinet.

Simply put, a real, acoustic piano comes to life.
A digital piano has a dead sound.

If you are considering an upright piano then I
recommend the Broadway BU-109…

The Broadway is a beautiful sounding piano.
The tone is rich in the bass and warm in the
middle…

The treble is crisp and bright, but not overly
bright like most pianos from Japan and the Far
East.

The most important parts of the mechanism are
produced in Germany and other parts of Europe…

The more expensive materials do push the price
up a bit, but at least you can be sure you’ll
get a quality piano with a great sound.

You can read more about the Broadway here:
www.ukpianos.co.uk/broadway-bu-109

Let me know if you need more help choosing
your piano.

Here’s my number: 020 8367 2080

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

 

Hi Graham

Many thanks for your prompt reply and for clarifying the differences between the two Yamaha models. I think we need to do a lot more researching before we come to a decision (my husband still thinks we would be better with a piano rather than a digital one) but would appreciate some suggestions for stockists and also some prices please.

Thanks once again,

Chris

Reply/ Hi Chris

A real piano is always much nicer to play than
a digital piano. You can hear the natural
sounds made from vibrating strings rather
than an electronic recording of that.

Also, the action of a real piano is more responsive.
The keys are longer (the end of the keys extend
far inside the piano), this gives it leverage… you
just can’t get the same feel on a digital piano.

We have a range of new and secondhand pianos
on the Rent-to-Own programme. This might be
a good way to get started.

You can read more about this here:
www.ukpianos.co.uk/upright-pianos-for-rent

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

 

Hi Graham,

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and digitial piano testing results. Your
book is very interesting and informative.

I’m hoping to buy an acoustic piano with silent system one day (It’s out of
my budget now).  Meanwhile, I’m going to either buy a digital piano or ship
my existing acoustic piano from Hong Kong to UK.

I passed Grade 8 piano exam ages ago.  Since then, I’ve occasionally played
the piano except two years ago when I had piano lessons for 6 months.  I
enjoy playing piano for leisure and like pieces with rich tones by
Tchaikovsky, Brahams, Chopins, etc.

My daughter, aged 9, took Grade 2 exam early last year.  She has relocated
to UK last summer and hasn’t played piano since then.  I would like her to
continue having piano lessons.  She is not very keen but is willing to learn
and practise playing piano.

My existing acoustic piano in Hong Kong is an upright Samick bought in
1999 (costing around GBP 2,300) and a higher model then.  It has been
little used but tuned three times a year (The pinao tuner said the wood
board behind is not very strong, making certain notes go out of tune sooner
than the better and more expensive pianos).  The sound quality is okay, good
in the lower (bass) notes but a tiny bit too sharp in the high notes.

I’m worry whether shipping the Samick over to UK would damage the mechanism
or the material of the piano, and whether it would cost a lot to have it
repaired (though I know of families shipping their pianos abroad when they
emigrate)  What do you think?

The other alternative is to buy a digital piano.  Is any of the Yamaha
digital pianos or Classenti digital pianos good enough for (a) up to Grade 8
level?  and (b) beyond Grade 8 level?  I want my daughter to learn the piano
seriously and want a model with sound and touch close to an acoustic
piano to allow easy transition from a digital piano to acoustic piano for my
daughter.  Also, I don’t want to be disappointed when I play the digital
piano for leisure.  Or perhaps only an acoustic piano could satisfy these
requirements?

If my daughter practise on a digital piano, will she need to practise
playing on an acoustic piano before any piano exams?

Grateful for your advice, please.

Cynthia

Reply/ Hi Cynthia

Of course it’s best to learn on an acoustic piano.
And if you’re grade 8 standard then there’s
no substitute for the real thing.

Having said that, the Kurzweil and Gewa range of
digital pianos could be a good compromise…

The Kurzweil’s key touch is fully-weighted.
This makes it feel very close to playing a
real piano. So the transition to acoustic will
be much easier to manage for your daughter.

The Kurzweil MP120 is one I particularly
recommend.

The MP120 has a 5 touch sensitivity levels
and a deep, warm piano sound.

You can read more about it here:
www.ukpianos.co.uk/kurzweil-mp120

Another is the German made Gewa UP260G.
This piano has a fabulous sound sampled on
a Steinway concert grand.

Here: www.ukpianos.co.uk/gewa-up260g

Shipping over your Samick piano would be
very costly. It would only be worth considering
if you plan on staying here for a long time.

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

 

Hi Graham,

I have read your thoughts on the Classenti digital pianos, which you are obiously keen on. It would be most useful if you could put the Classenti in perspective with the other makes of piano which you have rated eg. Yamaha – 9, Roland – 8 (I think), Classenti – ?

Could I also ask if you are sure about the 5 yr guarantee, as if you look at the Classenti.co.uk site the general 5 yr guarantee seems to limit any electronic components to 12 months. Unless this is changed for the digital piano it would seem to limit most of its components to 12 months.

Thanks Graham

Reply/ Hi Graham

I have just checked with the Classenti and the warranty is 5 years and it covers all electronic parts.

As far as a rating goes, comparing with other makes such as Yamaha (9.5), Roland (8), Kawai (6.5) and Casio (6) I give the Classenti a rating of 7.

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard
UK Pianos

 

Good day,

I am pleased to have stumbled upon your website, and very grateful for the invaluable advice published on it.

Ngaruiya

—

“Digital or upright piano. Which is best to learn on?”

I am planning to come to your Enfield store on Thursday.

Please I would like to ask what is better to buy on this stage child 5 years, one teacher told me is better start with Digital piano is more attractive with many sounds and other teacher told me that acoustic piano is better.

Really I am not sure which one I can take for her.

If you can advise me.

Regards, Huda.

Reply/ Dear Huda

It’s always best to learn on an acoustic piano.
This is because it’s the real thing, and it has the correct
key resistance and a natural sound.

We have several upright pianos available in our Enfield store.
You can see the current up-to-date list here

Hope to see you in the store this Thursday.
Meanwhile, let me know if you have any more questions.

Yours pianistically

Graham Howard