What are the things should I look for when buying a piano?
A. When purchasing a new piano you are pretty much at the mercy of your local music store. If you know and trust the dealer your only real concern is getting the model you want at the right price. If you don’t know the dealer it can’t hurt to take a piano tuner (or a pianist) along to advise you, even if it does hurt the dealer’s feelings (those guys can be pretty sensitive, you know). Better that than hurting your wallet. If you know nothing about pianos then do a little research first (Larry Fine has an excellent book on buying pianos, probably available at your library…the book I mean, not the pianos). Good brands are Steinway (obviously), Yamaha, Baldwin, Everett (made by Yamaha), Young Chang and Kawi, among a few others. No matter which brand or model you feel attracted to by sight, take your time and play it a bit to get a sense of the touch (if you play). Looks count too, of course, but remember it’s an instrument to be played, not just an expensive, shiney piece of furniture.
