Advice needed on selling a piano
Discussion
Not sure if this belongs here or in Homes, Gardens and DIY but there’s a few threads here on guitars…
I need advice and thought I’d consult the PH hive mind.
The mother in law is now in a nursing home so we’re clearing out and selling her house to pay for it.
She has a Bechstein baby grand piano in her living room which we have no idea how to sell.
We’ve had it valued. Apparently it dates to the early 30s and was assembled in London. As it has been in the sun for 40 years it has discoloured unevenly and it needs a full restoration of the wood and strings.
Current valuation is £1200 but restored it might be worth 10 times that.
What’s the best place to advertise something like that for sale bearing in mind that whoever buys will have to arrange collection?
I need advice and thought I’d consult the PH hive mind.
The mother in law is now in a nursing home so we’re clearing out and selling her house to pay for it.
She has a Bechstein baby grand piano in her living room which we have no idea how to sell.
We’ve had it valued. Apparently it dates to the early 30s and was assembled in London. As it has been in the sun for 40 years it has discoloured unevenly and it needs a full restoration of the wood and strings.
Current valuation is £1200 but restored it might be worth 10 times that.
What’s the best place to advertise something like that for sale bearing in mind that whoever buys will have to arrange collection?
Will a secondhand piano dealer.be interested? It is more likely to be cost effective for them to restore it and sell, than for a private buyer to restore it for themselves.
You will probably get some advice/interest on https://www.piano-tuners.org/piano-forums/
You will probably get some advice/interest on https://www.piano-tuners.org/piano-forums/
Assuming it has an Ivory keyboard you cannot sell it until you have registered it ( or you face a 5 year prison term or £250,000. fine - How does stop today’s poaching? ).
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/declare-ivory-you-inte...
Try these people, you should end up netting a few hundred pounds.
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https://pianoauctions.co.uk/
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/declare-ivory-you-inte...
Try these people, you should end up netting a few hundred pounds.
\/
https://pianoauctions.co.uk/
ConnectionError said:
The cost to collect it will reduce the current valuation to near zero.
My father had a similar valued baby grand.
He ended up giving it to a dealer, who collected it for free.
Seen a few uprights go through our local auction house. Don't think any of them sold for more than £5. Heart breaking really.My father had a similar valued baby grand.
He ended up giving it to a dealer, who collected it for free.
Bechsteins are a desirable, quality make of piano.
I sold a much less desirable upright piano on Ebay earlier this year. The guy who bought it runs this piano restorers and sales room in Kent.
https://www.thepianoshopkent.co.uk/
He bought my piano despite being circa 300 miles away and he arranged a piano mover to pick it up. Might be worth contacting them to see if it's of interest to them. If not, put it on ebay with lots of pics and an honest appraisal of it's condition.
I had a couple of dealers make buy it now offers and I accepted the best one. If a regular punter wins an ebay bid on a Piano, they're quite likely to not complete the purchase when they find out how much it costs to transport it.
Where in the Uk are you? Either contact local piano shops, or stick it on eBay. If you’re nearer London there’s a specialist piano auction- just google piano auctions.
I did quite well on eBay selling a bluthner baby grand (similar age and style) a few years back. It was bought by a London dealer who travelled 150 miles or so to collect.
I did quite well on eBay selling a bluthner baby grand (similar age and style) a few years back. It was bought by a London dealer who travelled 150 miles or so to collect.
CoupeKid said:
Appreciate the replies so far, especially the tip on registering the ivory.
My gut feeling is that I put it on eBay and hope it’s picked up by a dealer.
I'd love a baby grand, I just don't really have the space for one. Im sure if it's reasonably priced, someone will pick it up. My gut feeling is that I put it on eBay and hope it’s picked up by a dealer.
Update for closure:
The house has now been sold which has rather forced the issue.
The local piano sales/restoration place never replied when my wife contacted them.
A family member was interested but thought that it was too big a job to get the piano restored when they already had a very nice upright.
My wife contacted the local piano tuner, who tuned it for years and also does restorations, and he’s going to take it away.
All’s well that ends well although I think my wife & BIL would have liked some money for the piano but at the end of the day they had to get rid of it and hopefully it’ll have a new lease of life.
Thanks for all the suggestions. What happened in the end was more or less what everyone predicted.
The house has now been sold which has rather forced the issue.
The local piano sales/restoration place never replied when my wife contacted them.
A family member was interested but thought that it was too big a job to get the piano restored when they already had a very nice upright.
My wife contacted the local piano tuner, who tuned it for years and also does restorations, and he’s going to take it away.
All’s well that ends well although I think my wife & BIL would have liked some money for the piano but at the end of the day they had to get rid of it and hopefully it’ll have a new lease of life.
Thanks for all the suggestions. What happened in the end was more or less what everyone predicted.
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