Fair market value is the price at which an item would change hands between a. Prices of used pianos vary wildly, depending on local economies, supply and. The age of a kimball piano with the serial number 36415 is 119 years old. A pianos selling price may not reflect its musical value. Because local market forces have a huge influence on piano prices, it is. Be wary of the guy who pulls out a book or tip sheet to give you the low down on a piano, especially the other guys piano. His older title the piano book has a wealth of information, but regarding used instruments, only broad, sweeping generalizations are discussed about pricingdepreciation.
The bluebook of pianos is an invaluable handbook for anyone who owns or plans to buy a piano. A blue book of pianos is a compilation of prices of new and used pianos, which can be used to give you an estimate of a pianos value. Chickering pianos for sale buy a chickering piano at. Many people looking to buy or sell a seek to appraise its value by means of a so called blue book of pianos. The kimball piano company, based in chicago, was one of the largest piano manufacturers in the world.
If youre selling a piano on the other hand, value refers more to what the piano is really worth, its intrinsic value. Find the kelley blue book value of your suzuki motorcycle with our easy to use pricing tool. If you have an old book that you would like us to research, or if you have any other questions regarding old. Pianos, particularly instruments more than a few years old, really have no default base value like the blue book valuati. How to determine the value of a musical instrument our. Piano blue book piano prices manufacturers suggested. Find out what your car is worth at, the trusted resource for used car values. These brand names listed here accounted for over 95% of all grand pianos sold in the united states during the last 35 years. Big blue book of intermediate piano solos volume 2. Please note, this article was written back in 2009. This section lists the average resale prices for used pianos. What is the age and maximum value of a kimball organ. The best book of this sort, a practical, downtoearth price guide, workable, easy to follow guidelines. Piano appraisal service piano appraisal piano values.
Acrosonic was a line of spinets and consoles produced by baldwin between around 1935 1965, i believe, maybe a bit later. Big blue book of intermediate piano solos volume 2 hal leonard corp. We believe that our work is important for piano owners and lovers. Koichi kawai was always mechanically minded, inventing early on in life. The value of a specific piano model may be determined on the basis of the price shown. In addition to the values of almost 3,000 piano brands and models, this book is a goldmine of information for any piano owner or enthusiast. The piano forums are an online community of piano lovers including piano industry professionals, concert artists, recording artists, technicians, dealers, manufacturers, and thousands of enthusiastic amateur pianist.
The bluebook of pianos is a helpful handbook for anyone who plans to buy a piano. Locating your serial number chickering foundation home. If youre going about this on your own, your best resource is an updated version of the piano book. It is vital to understand that piano values are determined by many factors, and a blue book can by its nature only give you a ballpark figure. Helping you determine the value of a piano continued page 2 please note, this article was written back in 2009. Your pianos age is one of the most significant factors in determining your pianos value. Get the kelley blue book value for your used car or tradein vehicle, find tools to help you with buying or.
Your piano s age is one of the most significant factors in determining your piano s value. Current fair market value is the amount someone might receive when selling their item to a dealer or at auction. Look in an piano blue book to see what your piano is worth. Used piano prices e book of pianos fair market value. This online piano appraisal takes you step by step through the piano assessment process. Much of the information here is from the piano book by larry fine. The website contains a wealth of free information regarding guides to appraisals and buying new and used pianos. Kimball is a wellknown brand, and several of its antique pianos are considered highly collectible. Baldwin pianos for sale buy a baldwin piano at pianomart. While the main points are still valid some of the prices will have changed. Since there is no used piano price directory or blue book as there is for other merchandise, like cars for example, piano pricing can be very confusing for most people. For this very reason, we can help you determine the accurate. This modern valuation calculator is designed for uprights made after 1970 but also provides results for pianos manufactured as far back as 1950.
After an illustrated discussion of piano structure that explains the workings of both grand and upright pianos, the book gives careful advice for purchasing a new or used piano. While antique piano values may not be high, they are still a lovely reminder of the past. I am teaching myself with occasional input from a neighbor who is an accomplished pianist and preferred to explore the traditional routine via schaum, the one my children used when they were learning, instead of the methods typically used for adult courses. Each calculation accesses unique valuation data from your pianos specific model, age and condition criteria. If the serial number is not in this location, but you find a 3 or 4digit number elsewhere on the piano, it is likely the serial number. Chickering quickly became one of the largest and most successful piano manufacturers of all time. Did you recently inherit a piano and wonder if its worth restoring to enhance its value. Since there is no used piano price directory or blue book as there is for other merchandise, like cars for example, piano pricing can be very confusing for most. Comparing the piano with final selling prices of similar pianos of the same age, brand name, model, condition and market location. Piano blue book prices used piano value piano pricing service.
Now you have access to the complete piano pricing that before was only available to piano dealers. You will need the serial number, the date and the manufacturer name. Kawai, japans second largest piano manufacturer next to yamaha, was established in 1927 by koichi kawai and his partners in hamamatsu, japan. A percentage of the price of a new piano of the same make and model, or one of similar quality and description. Log on to the orion musical instrument blue book website to find the value of a musical instrument. Each piano is manufactured with a unique serial number that is recorded for future reference of not only when it was made but also where. Get the suggested tradein value and retail price for your 1982 suzuki gs300lz motorcycles with kelley blue book. For a small fee, you can check the value of any instrument you wish including effects units and guitars. Depreciation schedule a percentage of the price of a new piano of the same make and model, or one of similar quality and description. How to determine the value of a used piano our pastimes. Since there is no used piano price directory or blue book as there is for. A grand guide to buying a used steinway piano is designed to assist you in your journey in selecting a genuine used steinway pianofrom learning about how a steinway is built and rebuilt, to what makes a steinway a genuine steinway and what factors to consider when shopping the usedsteinway market.
Have an old piano and are wondering about its value. Our piano price guide will help you compare prices across brands so you can compare. Piano buyer has guidance and pricing for new instruments. Fair market value is the price at which an item would change hands between a willing buyer and a willing seller, neither of whom is compelled to buy or sell. He started in the piano business as a teenager, worked at yamaha, and became the first in japan to completely. Piano bluebook prices steinway piano gallery of naples.
The piano buyer article has since been revised to include these comments. Brougher restorations the value of a pneumatic player piano read this very common inquiry hello my name is jim and i reside in london, ohio just east of dayton. Age, history and value of your piano, fast and easy online appraisal service. True blue book values are based on how much something like a car is sold for. Pianomarts extensive inventory includes literally hundreds of new and secondhand pianos crafted by piano makers large and small, from a. From the late 19th century through the early part of the 20th century, sheet music was widely distributed. The schaum piano piano series is a very professional, methodical, yet uncomplicated way to learn piano. This book and the accompanying website enabled me to make an informed value estimate of the used piano i just bought, and to be an intelligent and careful shopper. Piano values thus depend in part on whos buying and playing them. Whether you have your piano completely restored or choose to use it as display, an antique piano is an eyecatching addition to any home. This is not the best method, but many use it to get a value. You dont have to be a musician to enjoy collecting vintage sheet music. The bluebook of pianos the guide to new piano prices. Bent was one of the most well known piano and organ makers of the late 19th century in america.
To understand your pianos value, you must first figure out what it is, who built it, how old it is and what condition it is in. Used piano consumer guides the official bluebook of. Kelley blue book assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Chickering pianos are a popular choice for students, home enthusiasts and professional musicians alike. Chickering did not begin applying case numbers until after this period. Kawai piano prices and value upright, grand new, used. The bluebook of pianos has been published for over 50 years. This guide contains price information of new piano that is distributed in the united states of america. The purpose of this article is to comment on and clarify the information in piano buyer on determining the value of a used piano.
If you find our application useful, please support our work with a donation. A blue book of pianos is a compilation of prices of. With more than 150 years in the industry, kimball has produced a range of pianos that can be appreciated by players of any ability. While the kimball piano value makes it more accessible to beginners, you can buy highend pianos suitable for wellseasoned players. Bluebook of pianos piano information and appraisal. The blue book of pianos website values of automatic pianos and organs by arthur reblitz response to question about value by john tuttle. A good piano in poor condition is still a poor piano. While the appraiser may be an expert in rendering the valuation, the information supplied is what we must base our piano appraisal on. A blue book of pianos is a compilation of prices of new and used pianos, which can be used to give you an estimate of a piano s value. I can tell you that there are a lot more cases of people getting ripped off by unethical technicians with unneeded repairs than from honest piano dealers.
Thats because no way to record music had yet been invented. How to determine the value of a used piano pianobuyer. To determine the true market value of a book, or any other collectible item, an appraisal may be necessary. Fine gives lots of advice about the sales process at piano shops, and how to. Kimball piano values vary based on age and condition. Free piano prices guide new or used fair market value. What is the age and maximum value of a kimball organ serial number 331832.