Shopping For A Used Piano
Action (the group of moving parts connecting the keys to the strings) - Do all of the parts look evenly spaced? Play every note both softly and loudly to see if they function properly. Repeat test while holding down sustain (right) pedal. Then rapidly repeat each note several times to test repetition. If the notes continue to ring after they have been released, the dampers may need to be adjusted or replaced. Spending ten minutes playing is the best test of all.
You can easily see the difference between a hammer in good
condition and ones that are excessively wornHammers - Check hammers for wear. Some indentation from the strings is to be expected, but if the part of the hammer that contacts the string is more flat than it is a rounded point, they will need to be filed down. This in turn will require will require the adjustment of other action parts to compensate for the change in hammer size.
Soundboard and Bass Bridges - Play bass notes very loudly and listen for a rattle or buzz. This indicates soundboard or bridge damage - both can be expensive to repair.
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