Piano update - MM thoughts

hoffse · November 2015

My inlaws visited this weekend, and we brought up the piano idea with them. If you all recall, my H has one that is "his" but it is in his grandmother's house in California. It was my MIL's piano when she was a kid, but my MIL and H's grandma want my H to have it so that it's played.

My MIL says that it's in good shape, and she always plays scales on it when visiting. She most recently visited a couple months ago. We're going out there in April, so we will check it out then.

I got a couple quotes to have it moved, and they were in the $2500 range for a cross-country move with professional piano movers. That's a lot of money, but about what I was expecting.

The piano itself is probably not worth that much, but it's a cool family piece. H's grandma bought it from the San Francisco Opera back in the late 60's, and it's a studio upright with ivory keys and the whole bit. Given where it came from, we suspect the piano is a high-quality brand/model, but it hasn't been regularly maintained all these years so we don't really know its value today. But my MIL and GMIL are attached to it, and H and I both love the story. We also like the patina that antique pianos have. The newer/glossy ones don't appeal to us so much.

All that said, my H and I also went to a piano gallery, and we could get a good quality used Yamaha or Kawai for around $4000 that's been fully restored by professionals.

I'm curious to hear MM's thoughts on this. All else being equal, would you spend less for a family piano whose actual value may not be worth the shipping charges, but has a cool family story? Or spend more for a used piano that we know is good but doesn't have the family story behind it?

Also, if it matters, we did check Craigslist, but we're probably not going to go that route. Most of them are pretty low-quality pianos and haven't been maintained. If we're going to bring in a piano that hasn't been maintained, it will be the family piano.

Obviously we won't make a final decision until we see it and play it in person.

bmo88 · November 2015

Hmm...if it really is in good shape and doesn't need much repair wise, I would probably consider shipping it for a few reasons:

Sentimental family value
It's still cheaper than the used option you mentioned

Also, something to consider: at some point, do you think you will "inherit" it anyway? If so, you will likely have to pay to ship it later down the road. Or are you ok with it being donated when the time comes?

Additionally, have you looked at UShip.com? It's a competitive bidding site for shipping that you can potentially save money. You can select shippers based on their skills and their history. Might be another option.

simplyelise · November 2015

I know you've mentioned before that your hubs does some composition work on the side. Would this piano be used mostly for enjoyment playing, or work playing?

My first thought is that if I were you, I'd pay the $2500 to ship the family piece. I have several sentimental family furniture pieces that are not worth anything more than their craigslist resale value, but I enjoy looking around at things and remembering the stories behind them. And if he maintenance costs on the old piece wouldn't be crazy, that would be my preference. Also, it sounds like it would make his family happy to see it go to him, so that would be a benefit as well.

vlagrl29 · November 2015

You probably care more about piano quality than I do considering my main instrument if viola and violin. I did just have the opportunity to take away a vintage upright from a church a few months ago. Unfortunatey its too big to go upstairs in my music room so we will move it into the music room of DHs studio once its finished. Locally if you have a piano moved its about $300-$400. I personally would look for a used piano in your area before spending that much on moving one.

PurpleBookmark · November 2015

I would move it, I love the story behind it. I think you'll really enjoy having it in your home, especially making it a focal point as you mentioned in your other post.

dragonstarjk · November 2015

I would pay to move it. You can't put a real value on the sentiment and family history behind it. If you buy one of the nice $4K ones, you just have a nice piano. You don't have a story.

CuriousKiddosMama · November 2015

I would pay to move it too. I will have to deal with something similar one day. My grandfather made a China hutch for my other grandparents. Either my brother or I will inherit it. My sister in law kind of wants it, but furniture is completely disposable to her, and so I will be ticked if she ends up with it. Which means I will eventually pay for this to get from Minnesota to Texas.

JoanE2012 · November 2015

I would pay to move it too. I like the sentimental value of it.

hoffse · November 2015

Thanks everybody. We'll see what kind of shape it's really in when we visit in April, but we're inclined to move it if my MIL is correct about the condition it's in. It's expensive, but we have previously priced out local piano moves to be $400-$500 in our area, so $2500 doesn't seem out of line for a cross-country move. That price also includes insurance, and the piano would be moved in a climate controlled container. We're going to use a professional piano moving company if we do this. I'm not going to risk it with regular movers. We have a friend who used regular movers for her piano, and they cracked the soundboard. Pianos are insanely delicate. The piano moving companies literally charge by the number of 90 degree turns they have to make.

@Elise, the piano would be used for both work and play. H is a fairly serious composer on the side (he's had a professional symphony play his stuff before), and a piano is super helpful for him. I'm also learning to play. We have an electric clavinova that a friend gave us that we use right now. It's ok for basic stuff, but a couple of extremely important keys stick and do not pop back up when you press them down. I have been able to play around it for now, but at the rate I'm going, I will need to replace it within the next year. A decent clavinova starts around $1,000 anyway, so I would rather replace it with a real piano.

@bmo88 I hadn't thought about the "inheritance" aspect to it. You're probably right that it's going to come to us regardless. H's brothers are somewhat musical, but they are nowhere near as serious about it as H is. Neither of them play piano or compose, so it would just be a piece of furniture for them.

If I'm being completely honest with myself, I wouldn't be surprised if we end up buying a baby grand for our forever house someday and then keep the upright in an office for H to compose on. He really wants a dedicated music room in our next house. He says that's his version of a man cave. What can I say, we're music nerds.

vlagrl29 · November 2015

hoffse said:

Thanks everybody. We'll see what kind of shape it's really in when we visit in April, but we're inclined to move it if my MIL is correct about the condition it's in. It's expensive, but we have previously priced out local piano moves to be $400-$500 in our area, so $2500 doesn't seem out of line for a cross-country move. That price also includes insurance, and the piano would be moved in a climate controlled container. We're going to use a professional piano moving company if we do this. I'm not going to risk it with regular movers. We have a friend who used regular movers for her piano, and they cracked the soundboard. Pianos are insanely delicate. The piano moving companies literally charge by the number of 90 degree turns they have to make.

@Elise, the piano would be used for both work and play. H is a fairly serious composer on the side (he's had a professional symphony play his stuff before), and a piano is super helpful for him. I'm also learning to play. We have an electric clavinova that a friend gave us that we use right now. It's ok for basic stuff, but a couple of extremely important keys stick and do not pop back up when you press them down. I have been able to play around it for now, but at the rate I'm going, I will need to replace it within the next year. A decent clavinova starts around $1,000 anyway, so I would rather replace it with a real piano.

@bmo88 I hadn't thought about the "inheritance" aspect to it. You're probably right that it's going to come to us regardless. H's brothers are somewhat musical, but they are nowhere near as serious about it as H is. Neither of them play piano or compose, so it would just be a piece of furniture for them.

If I'm being completely honest with myself, I wouldn't be surprised if we end up buying a baby grand for our forever house someday and then keep the upright in an office for H to compose on. He really wants a dedicated music room in our next house. He says that's his version of a man cave. What can I say, we're music nerds.

I have a dedicated music room in our house for myself and love it. Even with a 2nd kid in the future I won't get rid of that room. we will most likely move our office to the basement.

BlueBirdMB · November 2015

vlagrl29 said:

You probably care more about piano quality than I do considering my main instrument if viola and violin. I did just have the opportunity to take away a vintage upright from a church a few months ago. Unfortunatey its too big to go upstairs in my music room so we will move it into the music room of DHs studio once its finished. Locally if you have a piano moved its about $300-$400. I personally would look for a used piano in your area before spending that much on moving one.

Exactly this. This seems like a gigantic waste of money on a piano that you may never be able to fully restore anyway (if it hasn't been tuned regularly or if the wood hasn't been cared for... it might need tons of work). I certainly wouldn't take it without playing it myself first to be sure of it's quality and state of repair.

I'm so jealous of your dedicated music room! Our long term plan is to finish our basement into a studio for me to teach and work out of, but that's years off.

hoffse · November 2015

BlueBirdMB said:

vlagrl29 said:

You probably care more about piano quality than I do considering my main instrument if viola and violin. I did just have the opportunity to take away a vintage upright from a church a few months ago. Unfortunatey its too big to go upstairs in my music room so we will move it into the music room of DHs studio once its finished. Locally if you have a piano moved its about $300-$400. I personally would look for a used piano in your area before spending that much on moving one.

Exactly this. This seems like a gigantic waste of money on a piano that you may never be able to fully restore anyway (if it hasn't been tuned regularly or if the wood hasn't been cared for... it might need tons of work). I certainly wouldn't take it without playing it myself first to be sure of it's quality and state of repair.

I'm so jealous of your dedicated music room! Our long term plan is to finish our basement into a studio for me to teach and work out of, but that's years off.

We're going out there in April, and we'll see how it is then. She has kept it protected from climate fluctuations and dust, it just hasn't been played regularly. I don't know if she's kept it tuned, but I'm guessing not since she doesn't play it. My MIL says it still plays beautifully, but we'll find out for ourselves in April. I know my MIL is attached to it, so she might think it's better than it really is. This is part of our dilemma, honestly.

I'm also not sure how we would tell her that we are going to buy something instead of taking it. She really wants H to have it.

If we do a local piano it's probably going to be through a gallery, unless we can catch a sale from a university or church. That's why my question is whether to spend more for something we know is good or spend less and gamble a bit on the family piano. Even if we think it sounds good, neither of us are piano techs, and we aren't going to know for sure.

jtmh2012 · November 2015

dragonstarjk said:

I would pay to move it. You can't put a real value on the sentiment and family history behind it. If you buy one of the nice $4K ones, you just have a nice piano. You don't have a story.

My thoughts exactly.

julieanne912 · November 2015

jtmh2012 said:

dragonstarjk said:

I would pay to move it. You can't put a real value on the sentiment and family history behind it. If you buy one of the nice $4K ones, you just have a nice piano. You don't have a story.

My thoughts exactly.

Also ditto this.

lbonga1 · November 2015

I also agree with moving the family piano. I do really like the story, so I think it'd be worth it if it's still in good condition. Would you also have to pay the $400-500 local moving if you went with a used piano, or is that included in the $4000 you mentioned?

hoffse · November 2015

lbonga1 said:

I also agree with moving the family piano. I do really like the story, so I think it'd be worth it if it's still in good condition. Would you also have to pay the $400-500 local moving if you went with a used piano, or is that included in the $4000 you mentioned?

I'm not sure, but I'm guessing there will be a shipping charge (though probably not the full $400-$500). That said, we'll also have to pay sales tax, so the local piano might be closer to $4500 out the door.

short+sassy · November 2015

Assuming the family piano is in good condition, I'd go with that. Normally that wouldn't make MM sense, but this is going to be a showpiece in the room you are putting it in. You want it to be something you really love and I know you all love this piano.

On a similar note, my father inherited a flip top desk with a hutch on top from his dad. Rumor is his (my dad's) grandparents brought it from Germany when immigrated here in 1903.

My father passed away many years ago and it was in my mother's home. Then she got married and moved in with her new husband and decided to rent her house out.

She hated to get rid of the desk because of sentimental value, but there was nowhere to put it. I told her I would take it, depending on the shipping. It was $800 to ship. It's a beautiful piece, but definitely has a lot of dings and scrapes. I doubt it is worth what it cost to ship, but I wanted it anyway. She and I split the shipping cost.

I LOVE having that piece in my front room. It's like having a piece of my childhood home and family with me all the time, even though I moved so far away.

blondie42107 · November 2015

Don't think about it too hard.

Do you want the history/sentimental value or a brand new piece? As long as it'll hold a tune, you should be fine with the family piano. You'll likely have to have it tuned a couple times the first year anyhow. My sister is a pianist (over 15 years as a paid pianist) and she's still using the piano she started with when she began lessons around age 8. And my parents bought it used. My sister is currently getting quotes to have the wood refinished. It still plays very well.

Piano update - MM thoughts

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