Where to Find Cheap Pianos for Sale

There's something about being able to play the piano that catches people's attention. A person who plays the instrument just exudes certain characteristics: sophistication, style, class, talent... No wonder parents are often eager to sign their kids up for lessons.

But to fully develop, a student really needs to have his own piano at home. Pianos, however, have a tendency to be somewhat pricey. Nevertheless, you can often find great deals on pianos if you know where to look.

Many people (primarily piano salesmen and music teachers) will try to warn you away from cheap or used pianos. They will tell you that they are poorly constructed, the sound quality is substandard, etc. They will intimate that it is in some way inferior to some other, pricey model. I'm not saying that they are wrong - it's possibly that I have a terrible ear for music - but I have not found that to be the case.

To be blunt, I've known many people who owned used pianos, and I never heard any of them complain that theirs was a terrible instrument. At most, they neglected to have the piano serviced and it eventually went out of tune. But with regular service and maintenance, a used piano can last an extraordinarily long time.

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Ideally, you will want to find a piano close to home. That being the case, you should first check local piano stores. In addition to their own used inventory, these stores will often sell pianos on consignment; that is, they will show someone else's piano in their store and sell it for a commission or set fee. This is often your best chance at getting a cheap piano, because - in addition to already being inexpensive - the price is often negotiable.

Next, be sure to check with music schools. They'll sometimes have older pianos that they are looking to sell. Plus, they'll often be aware of other owners who are looking to sell their own pianos.

Last but not least, be sure to check local newspapers and trade journals. Not only can you find pianos for sale, but sometimes you will even come across one being given away for free. (Needless to say, in many instances, any such free pianos will probably require a little TLC.)

If you can't find anything local - or just want to get a wider range of prices - be sure to check out eBay. Naturally, although you may initially see pianos with very low bids, there's no guarantee that you will get them at that price. Therefore, it's important to set a budget and stick with it.

Finally, you can try other online resources, such as Amazon, Craigslist or the aptly-named Cheap-Pianos.com. The long and short of it, however, is that with a little effort, you can probably find a decent piano of good quality without spending an excessive amount of money. Also, don't rule out digital keyboards, which are far less expensive, much more compact, and can produce sound comparable to the most expensive pianos out there.

(And if you're interested in saving money in other areas, it may be worth your while to find out where to locate Cheap Cars, Cheap Furniture, Cheap Designer Wedding Dresses, and Foreclosure Homes for Sale.