The Consumer Guide to Buying a Piano

Buying the right piano for you

You want to buy a piano. You don’t want to spend more than you have to, but you want to invest your money wisely in a piano that will meet your needs now and in the future. We understand. The most important thing to know (and will put your mind at ease) is that it’s hard to go wrong when buying a piano. Pianos retain their value if kept in good repair and tuned. So even if you purchase a “beginning” upright piano for a new player, you can recoup a majority of your cost when it’s time to trade up.

As Kansas City’s premiere piano retailer, we’ve walked thousands of customers through the process of buying a new or used piano. We recommend buying the best quality piano you can afford, knowing it will retain much of its value and is a good investment. Meyer Music carries a wide range of Yamaha and Pearl River pianos, each one carefully hand selected for its quality, beauty and durability.

All pianos are not the same. The brand name matters. We focus on Yamaha and Pearl River pianos due to the manufacturers’ reputation for quality instruments. They are the best-selling pianos on the market today in terms of design, materials and construction, and have options in every price range.

All pianos, regardless of the brand, are judged by three things:

1) Tone - how the piano sounds
2) Touch - how the piano responds to the musician’s fingertips
3) Reputation - proven over the test of time under various performance conditions

Why people choose Yamaha Pianos for performance

The Yamaha name is on a majority of the pianos you see in a performance setting. Not because they pay to be there, but because of the reputation they have in the industry. In fact, Elton John chooses to play a Yamaha piano. Visit any one of our showrooms for a personal demonstration of Yamaha’s tone and touch. And while you probably don’t have Sir Elton’s budget, there are plenty to choose from within your price range.

Avoiding buying a “lemon” is easier than you think. Experienced players are at an advantage when it comes to selecting a quality piano. That doesn’t mean novices are at a disadvantage. In general, musicians are willing to share their knowledge and insights. If this is your first piano purchase, lean on those you trust for guidance. Piano teachers, Meyer Music’s piano experts and pianists are a great resource.

How Meyer Music can help

Many piano buyers go online to Craigslist or eBay. However, a piano has roughly 7,000 moving parts, so you need to make sure any piano you’re considering has been properly maintained before purchasing. Meyer Music is happy to look online at a piano you find, give you our expert opinion and some good questions to ask the owner.

We may have a used piano in stock that is comparable to one you find online that also comes with a warranty unless otherwise stated. Buying a piano from a retailer like Meyer Music means you’ll have an authorized company you trust to turn to for repair, maintenance tuning and perhaps a trade in down the road. The Meyer Music team is here to help you navigate a piano purchase whichever path you take.

Buying a piano isn’t like buying a washer and dryer. You don’t have to wait until January to find the best deal. Given the benefits of playing music, right now is as good a time as any to buy a piano. Meyer Music has a great selection of upright, grand and digital pianos in stock all year round. And if for some reason, we don’t have exactly what you’re looking for, we can probably find it for you.