This isn’t a covert for sale thread.

I am dealing with the estate of a recently deceased relative. My nephew has been left a piano which he doesn’t want. A local piano dealer has told me he’d give me a frighteningly small amount for it but recommended I try to sell it online somewhere.

Is there a pianotrackworld out there or does anyone have any suggestions? My sister mentioned Gumtree but I only ever hear terrible things about the people on there so I am a little anxious. Or are my fears unfounded?

I’d say Gumtree too. Unfortunately old pianos fetch a pittance because they’re a PITA to move and invariably will need re-tuning once moved. We’re in a similar position of having recently inherited one. We intend on keeping it as my wife learned to play on it but haven’t yet got round to moving it 200 miles.

It depends on what piano it is, upright, grande clavinova? Also, if it is in tune, has been looked after and is quality. I often see pianos free as they are not very good and take up a lot of space. Keyboards and electric pianos have come a long way and take up a lot less space so tend to be preferred by beginner students. Anyone who plays well would want a good piano.
It might be worth researching the model you have to see if it is something special. Try local advertising and if you don’t get a good response then back to the piano dealer.

I’ve never had a problem selling on Gumtree, I think it’s more a case of buyer beware as there is often a lot of dodgy looking things on there.

How about http://www.preloved.co.uk/ ?

Every house used to have a piano and a bible – so no matter how good and example of either its often difficult to even give them away let alone sell for any amount.

Indeed, unless it’s something special it’ll be worth very little, and if they can get it out of the house without damaging something then it’s a bonus.

Everyone I know who plays regularly (including my Mum) has a Clavinova or equivalent now. Less space, no tuning, can control the volume or use a pair of headphones.

Unless it is a model in demand like a Yamaha u3 then it isn’t worth so much and the cost of moving is possibly more than the value. You can often find places online where you can look up the age from the serial number. Then check on eBay for what they went for before. That will give you a clue if it is worth it or not

All as per the above. We (stupidly) bought a cheap upright years ago when living in a fifth floor flat. We got it in eventually but it was ridiculously huge for the room. IIRC it also cost more to tune it than it did to buy it ! And the woman downstairs would complain every time my gf played. We got rid of it when we moved house, for a pittance, and were glad. Replaced with a nice Clavinova.

So to the OP, I’d either stick in on ebay with no reserve and be glad if someone will collect it, or for a quick & easy solution sell to the dealer.

Donate it to a local charity?

The old folks love a singsong round the ol’ Joanna.

I have an upright piano in my dining room which gets tuned yearly, never gets played and is a PITA.

It’s right next to the Roland RD170 stage piano which my daughter plays for an hour every day.

If wood frame then likely to end up in a dump

It is a 1960s “Zender”. Nice and tidy, hardly a mark on it. It needs tuning but the piano chap said it isn’t far out.

He reckoned it would be a nice buy for a beginner and would last them most of the way though any grade work they wanted to do. He also said it was an ‘OK’ brand of piano, though not a great one.

I’ll see what my nephew has to say.

Donate it to a local charity?

If its useful but not saleable look up an initiative called ‘Play me I’m yours’ and see if they are doing anything near you

Went through this about 10 years back – we moved into a flat with one.

Couldn’t give it away for love nor money. A localish school said they’d take it, but only if I delivered – they weren’t prepared to spare a minibus or a few of the rugby team to move it, so that fell through.

Ended up breaking it up and taking it to the tip, which didn’t make me happy. Destroying musical instruments is not a good thing.

mudshark – Member

If wood frame then likely to end up in a dump

How come?

My Mum & Dad have recently sold a piano that they have had for years. They inherited it & my sister used to play, but since she left home 15 or so years ago it has sat being seldom played.

Doing some research on it, it was apparently quite a good quality Bechstein. They had two people value it and they both reckoned it was only worth around £400.
It needed some restoration work – new ivory (plastic, these days I guess) for the keys & some missing veneer replacing.
My Mum saw it for sale on their website a couple of months later for £4k!! Eeeek!

Anyway – they just rang a couple of shops that sold musical instruments; although I think they specialised in pianos. They live in London, so I think there was quite a few options not that far away.

That’s Bechstein for you. As others have said, shifting pianos secondhand is generally tough.

Pee a pee a pee a no, pee a no, pee a no, pee a pee a pee a no, pee a pee a no.