Advantages of a Restored Vintage Piano

A restored vintage piano provides an exceptional value for 2 reasons:

• A restored vintage piano looks and sounds like new, but costs around half the price of a new one.
• Vintage pianos (generally built 1942 and earlier) often represent superior quality material and craftsmanship contrary to the ones built today.

Vintage pianos were all hand made and greater attention was paid to craftsmanship and detail. They were constructed of solid, naturally seasoned wood and many had real ivory covered keyboards. They also featured elegant cabinets with beautiful veneers and sometimes, intricate engravings. In contrast, modern pianos are generally mass produced assembly style. Kilns are used to artificially season wood and construction often includes laminates and plastic parts.

However, just because a piano is old doesn’t mean it automatically qualifies as vintage. Even in 1942, quality was associated with certain brand names. So before you invest in restoration, be sure the piano is worth it. The most popular names include:

• Steinway
• Mason & Hamlin
• Baldwin
• Knabe
• Chickering
• Sohmer