Getting Started: Finding a Piano For Any Budget
One of the biggest obstacles to your child taking piano lessons is the instrument itself. Unless you have been gifted a piano, it’s a huge investment to buy a brand new one and if you don’t know what you are looking for it’s a complete gamble. Fortunately, when your child is just starting piano, you have many options and there is most certainly one for every budget.
image by: dropowtt via sxc.hu
Many times when I tell people that I teach piano lessons they respond with, “I would love to have my child take piano but we don’t have one / don’t have room for one.” I think, for many people, their picture of piano lessons is the child sitting at a baby grand in a formal living room in their Sunday finest playing Chopin. The reality is much, much different. Many kids start their piano lessons on nothing more than an electronic keyboard picked up from their local big box store.
Teachers opinions on this vary but for my students, it is perfectly acceptable to begin your piano lessons on an electronic keyboard. The keyboards available today mimic the piano in many ways and so for the beginning student, they are a fine alternative to an acoustic piano at a much smaller cost. Electronic keyboards also require little to no maintenance where an acoustic piano requires tuning (an added cost) every six months. If you think electronic may be your best option, you can visit this post to read more about selecting an electronic keyboard for your beginning piano student.
If you want to get your child an acoustic piano (which I highly recommend) you have many alternatives for getting one. And with a little creativity, you can often get a good piano for very little cost.
Ask People You Know. Many times people within your own family may be wanting to get rid of their piano but not know how. Why not take it off their hands? For a small investment of a piano mover you can often get a great piano that you know has been treated with care.
Check Online. Sites such as Craigslist, eBay or your local newspaper website list classified ads for people selling pianos. I can’t tell you the number of ads I see of people saying “Please just come and get it and it’s yours!”.
Used Or Rental Pianos. Rent a piano? Yes! For $100+ per month you can “try out” a piano at home before making the big investment. Used pianos can be a much less expensive purchase than brand new and are often in excellent playing condition. Their boxes may be worn but as long as the insides are in full working order, all is well. Don’t judge a piano by it’s box. 
Purchase New. If you’re really ready to make the big commitment and purchase a new piano, take the time to learn about all of the options available to you. Upright or Grand? Digital or Acoustic? Uprights and digitals tend to be smaller so if you are short on space, those would be the ones to consider. However, if you have the room, you just can’t beat a good baby grand.
As with any major purchase, you want to get as much information as possible in order to make an informed decision. Talk with your teacher about their recommendations, visit music stores to talk with their sales people and read, read, read. You wouldn’t spend $5000 on a car without doing a little research, so do your due diligence here.
Please please hire a professional mover to move any piano you purchase. They are large, heavy, easily damaged and could not only damage your house if dropped but people as well. Movers are relatively inexpensive ($150+ depending upon distance) so please don’t try to tie it into the back of your uncle’s pick up truck! (Unless your uncle is a piano mover).More Helpful Posts:
- Getting Started: No Piano? No problem! Start With A Keyboard
- Getting Started: Why Do You Want Your Child To Take Piano Lessons?
- Getting Started: You Do Have The Time For Piano Lessons