JOSEFS PIANOS
5 - 7 Bridge St
Rothwell
Northamptonshire
NN14 6EW

United Kingdom


Tel: 01536 710529

josefspianos@gmail.com


Shop Opening Hours


Monday to Thursday

10am to 5pm

Friday:

1pm to 5pm

Sat, Sun & Evenings:

 by appointment


Free parking nearby


Find us on Google Maps

One of the largest showrooms of new and used piano’s in the Midlands. We are a family business established for over 30 years. We sell both new and used pianos and believe it is important to offer a wide range of makes to choose from. By getting to know the best pianos to stock and preparing them to a high standard, we have built up a great deal of knowledge and expertise over the years. We always offer a warm and friendly welcome, Jon & Chris.

More about us

How to buy a piano

Review our range

Preparing your piano

Advice for beginners

Customer comments

How to find us

Schools & Institutions

Contact us

Josef’s Pianos

5 - 7 Bridge Street

Rothwell

Northamptonshire

NN14 6EW


Tel: 01536 710529

josefspianos@gmail.com


Shop Opening Hours:

Monday to Thursday

10am-5.00pm

Fridays: 1pm-5pm

Sat, Sun & evenings:

By appointment

Find us on

Google Maps

© Josef’s Painos 2022 -  all rights reserved -  web design by dteks

Choosing the right piano      Advice for beginners      New or Used?      Grand or Upright?       Tailored Preparation      Contact Us

Josefs Pianos
Yamaha - Josefs Pianos Kawai Pianos - Josefs Pianos Petrof - Josefs Pianos

josefspianos@gmail.com

For

 individual advice

or price quote  please call on

01536 710529

Yamaha          Kawai          Petrof          Ritmuller          Used Pianos

Ritmuller - Josefs Pianos

 Buying a piano:- New or Used?

Many serious problems can arise with used pianos, especially the much older ones and it is useful to have some understanding of the faults which can arise.

Older pianos can have serious structural problems usually caused by central heating or just the age of the materials. Many have loose tuning pins or even cracked pinblocks, so they will not hold in tune. The bridge or soundboard can be split or worse still the iron frame may be cracked. Strings can sound dull or be rusty and on the verge of breaking. These sorts of problems are very expensive to repair.

As well as structural faults, older pianos usually need a whole range of attention to the playing mechanism due to severe wear over the years, such as worn hammers or weak dampers. A lot of detailed hand work is involved here which is again very costly. This is all without considering the condition of the cabinet and the cost of making the piano presentable.

We previously spent many an hour carefully restoring older pianos. It was often very rewarding work, but gradually we found that it was no longer cost effective. Regrettably, many dearly loved old pianos are beyond economic repair when compared to the cost of new or more recent used options. As there are so many possible problems with older pianos and they are deteriorating more year by year, our general advice is to avoid them altogether.

However, there can still be exceptions to this rule where an older high quality instrument might be worth rebuilding but this can be very expensive to do properly and the value of the piano needs to justify the cost. It is essential to assess the piano carefully first to make sure restoration is viable and then to carry out the work to a good standard. So proceed with caution if you are considering this option and obtain the help of an experienced technician or a really reliable supplier.

Even when restored well, older instruments remain very vulnerable to the effects of modern heating, so they need careful looking after and should not be expected to offer the same longevity as a modern built piano.

A more recent used piano can be a better prospect, perhaps giving the option of a higher quality instrument at a moderate price. It is still important, though, to find the right piano and even recent ones can have significant problems according to their age.

Many pianos made in the sixties for example used early plastic parts in the mechanism which fatigue and break or become noticeably noisy. Some used imports can suffer from major wear having been used in schools or colleges for long periods and may be sold without being refurbished.

It is essential, then, that even a recent used piano is assessed carefully first, followed by the full range of checks and adjustments and then any necessary repairs carried out. So don’t buy without advice or the guarantee of a reputable company.

Newer pianos do have the huge benefit of more modern materials designed to cope with central heating as well as using better glues and more advanced methods of wood drying in their construction. In particular, they have laminated tuning blocks which provide much better tuning stability. The mechanism will not be worn out and you will have an instrument that you can rely on for many more years.

We stock a range of recent used pianos which are all carefully selected and come with a full 3 year guarantee. Many are just a few years old, and so benefit from the materials and construction methods used in newer instruments. They all receive the same level of preparation and service which we provide for new ones.

See our used pianos page for more details.

Obviously, going to a brand new piano has all the advantages of modern construction and you will be able to select just the right tone and cabinet without any doubts about the previous level of use and care. You can compare different makes and choose the design and colour which will suit your home best. The piano will also have the benefit of a full manufacturer`s warranty when bought from a registered dealer.

See our range of new pianos.

Cracked pinblock

Split bridge

Split soundboard

Worn hammers

Broken tapes

Modern laminated pin block

Brand New Action

Recnt used piano