What is a drop action piano?
A drop action piano is an upright piano that has a “drop” action or mechanism. Drop action pianos are usually very short, under 40 inches in height. They are sometimes also called spinet pianos. A drop action piano can be detected, if when the top lid of the piano is open, the “hammers” are almost level with the back of the keys, and the back of the keys stop short of the action. The depth of these pianos is usually greater also, and the distance they protrude from a wall is anywhere from 6-10″ greater than a traditional upright. These pianos are usually bad choices for instruments for several reasons. Their touch and tone is generally poor because of the size of the soundboard and lifting action of the keys, and they are extremely difficult pianos to service, even for something as simple as a broken string or loose action screw. If you are not sure whether a piano you are considering purchasing is a drop action piano, you should hire a technician to rule out the possibility. Many tech
