Are Old Pianos and Reconditioned
Used Pianos Worth Buying?

In recent years, reconditioned used pianos have become more common in Singapore. While the price is much less compared to the original, the quality of reconditioning work and parts is most important.

Most pianos have a lifespan of about 60 years. This is much lesser for poorer makes. In Singapore's hot and humid weather, lifespan may be considerably reduced to say 20-30 years before parts need replacement. Once parts are replaced usually due to wear and tear and work done to the piano, it is considered reconditioned.

Personally, I would prefer not purchase a piano older than say 10-15 years in Singapore. Things do wear out quickly in our weather and I would like to avoid unpredictable costs due to replacement of worn-out parts.

Manufacturer's Serial Numbers

The age of an instrument is not readily verifiable without original documents like warranty cards or purchase invoices. Therefore, it may be worth taking time to check the age by using the manufacturer's serial number of the instrument you are considering.

There are several resources for serial number searches on the web for better known makes. Simply locate these sites through search engines like Google and MSN. Unfortunately, not all makes will have readily available serial number searches.

Reconditioned Pianos

Reconditioning often involves cleaning, repairing, replacing minor parts as necessary, servicing the action and sometimes voicing to regulate the tone.

Reconditioned pianos are often more than 10 years old. As with building a piano, skill is very important in reconditioning.

Quality of Reconditioning

When performed well, reconditioning can improve the quality and lifespan of the instrument. When performed poorly, quality can worsen. The instrument can be considerably less reponsive, muffled and limited in tone colour. After reconditioning, a reliable brand name may not reflect good quality.

As reconditioning becomes more common in Singapore, well-skilled and experienced technicians in this area are crucial. Reliable shops doing reconditioning with original manufacturer's parts and well-trained technicians is important. A long warranty period would be an important factor for buyers.

Please feel free to email me using the form below regarding shops selling reconditioned pianos in Singapore.