Check out this J & C FISCHER 1910 Piano thats up on Ebay

[dchaklos]

Don't know much about antique pianos but looks like a steal for the starting price?

States its 100 years old


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250652574654

[cogar]

Anyone that does a lot of furniture restoration, renovation, fixing-up, etc., needs to buy themselves a $5 piano ……… and disassemble it, …… saving all the wood screws, hinges, etc.

[KC]

Unfortunately, these uprights are not worth what they used to be.  With the new-fangled synthesizers and grands that play themselves the value has gone down extremely.

We had one in wonderful shape that we had for years...that we needed to get rid of (we also inherited a rare player piano).  We put the word out and found a family that the little girl was taking lessons and only had a little lap keyboard to practice on at home.  We gave it to them 2 years ago....they have kept up with us and the whole family plays instruments now and they play at their church!  Sometimes the sentimental value is much more rewarding than the $$.

In my neck of the woods, you can find these on Craig s list for $200 - $400.

The shipping on this $5 piano will be $$$$$$$$.

[hosman321]

In my neck of the woods (near Seattle, WA) they are usually on cl for free. People start the price at $1000. Over the days and weeks the prices drop to $50 and then finally they beg you to take them. Pianos are heavier than sin and the "fad" of having one disappears very quickly when people need to move. I want one bad but we plan on moving soon so it will have to wait. Even the player pianos go for cheap, around $300. One thing is for sure. If you know nothing about pianos, pay an expert to go with you. Pianos are like cars. They may look good on the outside, but there can be so many hidden problems that make them one big money pit.

[talesofthesevenseas]

About five years ago I bought a player piano on Ebay for $5. It's a great old piano, dating to about 1920, bellows intact (that means you can play it by using the pump foot pedals and the air pressure holds) and also wired for electricity, so that it can play with a person. Pick-up and deliver was $500, tuning was another $100. (player tuners cost a little more than regular tuners) So my total was $605 and well worth it.

THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR!!!

My previous buying experience was not so good. I bought a piano whose wooden pegs which hold the piano wires had worn down to the point that they were slipping. An irreputable piano place tuned the piano and hammered the pegs into place, rendering it in tune for the time being, but never able to be tuned again. Eventually this guy bailed out of town with a truckload of pianos and from what I hear, the law on his tail!

Ideally, spend a few bucks and have a piano tuner check it for you. It's like buying a used car and there can be unseen problems.

If you can't do that, check every single key, black and white, from end to end on the keyboard. Make sure that none of them are sticky, slow to respond, muted, or dead. Open up the piano when this is done and watch that the hammers are responsive and falling back into place without getting hung-up or stuck. Check that the damper pedals are working.

About the only way to rid yourself of a piano or an organ is to donate it to Goodwill. They are notoriously hard to sell. Sadly they are greatly unappreciated as the wonderful instruments that they are.

Remember that even if these guys will forklift it into a truck for you, you're going to need a piano dolly at the very least to get it out of your truck and into your home. It's best to let a professional piano mover do that for you. Remember these ol' babies are HEAVY and can go right through your deck or porch, or fall back onto a helpful friend who is trying to help you.

Without lessons, you will end up with an unused chunk of wood in your living room. "Chopsticks", "Heart & Soul" and the intro to "Color My World" get real old, real fast.

But if you like it and it's a healthy piano go for it! But anticipate and expect the additional costs of tuning, transporting and weekly lessons.