Piano Appraisals – Piano Appraisers
Appraiser Qualifications
Not all piano tuners are familiar with current market values for pianos. Many have very little contact with retail outlets. I have worked for 17 different piano dealers during the past 28 years of working as an independent piano technician. This retail experience has given me a thorough knowledge of the current market values of pianos in the southern Ontario region. See Bio for more details.
Appraisal Process
(NOTE - outside of the 905 & 289 area see Email Consultations)
Many piano owners would like to have their pianos appraised for insurance purposes or for resale. I often get requests in my email for a ball park figure for what a particular piano is worth. The typical email goes something like this. “I have an ABC & CO. piano serial # 123456. What is it worth?” Sometimes it will come with a picture attached.
There is an old saying “you can’t judge a book by its cover”. You can’t judge a piano from a picture either. A piano is a musical instrument not a picture to hang on the wall. That being said, I do have a rough idea of what the typical value for a piano of a certain make and age would be here in southern Ontario. The same piano might sell for more or less in an other area of Canada depending on the local economy and demand for new and used pianos in that area.
The only way to properly assess a piano is to have a qualified technician inspect the piano in person. Pictures and serial numbers don’t tell you much about whether a piano was one of the manufacturer’s entry level pianos or one of their top of the line instruments. They also can’t tell you anything about the internal condition, maintenance, sound and performance of a piano.
Your piano may be worth what a typical piano of its make and age is worth, but it may be worth more and it may even be worth nothing at all, if it requires major repairs that would be more costly than the piano is worth. The only way to be certain is to have the piano inspected by a qualified technician. Antique dealers are sometimes called on to appraise pianos but in my experience most are not familiar with the piano market specifically and lack training to assess the internal condition of the instrument.
Booking An Appraisal
I charge $85 plus GST for an appraisal. For this fee I will look up the serial number to establish the date of manufacture, perform a complete inspection of the instrument and fill out a written report. The report covers the piano’s age, retail value, private sale value and insurance replacement value. It also covers the condition of the soundboard, pin block, bridges, strings, hammers, felt components and action condition. A picture and free posting on this site is included for clients who whish to sell their piano.
There is a substantial cost saving to have a piano appraised and tuned at the same time. In this case the fee is only for the additional time involved in assessing the piano and is $25 in addition to the tuning fee.
I also offer an internet service for those who are only looking for an average value for a piano of the same make and age as their piano, will look up the age of their piano according to its serial number. A nominal fee of $20 plus GST is paid through Paypal for this service. This is not an appraisal and I can only say what the average value would be in southern Ontario in Canadian dollars.
Fees
- Written Appraisal $85 plus GST
- Tuning and Written Appraisal $120 Plus GST
- Email Consultation $20 plus GST
For piano owners that live outside of Toronto, the GTA and the Golden Horseshoe I am offering this online service.
For the nominal fee of $20 plus GST I will look up date of manufacture and give an average price for a piano of the make
and age supplied.
Please include the make, serial number and height (if an upright piano)
or length (if a grand piano) in the "additional comments" box in the Paypal purchase information.
This service is for pianos only and does not apply to organs or other keyboard instruments.
You will find the serial number on an upright piano by lifting the lid and looking at the back of the piano around
the tuning pins. It will be stamped into the wood or stamped on the iron plate.
To find the serial number on a grand piano, pull the music desk forward until the tuning pin area is exposed.
Please note that this service does not constitute an appraisal of your instrument.
An appraisal can only be done in person by a qualifed piano technician.
Many piano owners are curious about the age of their instrument.
Often piano owners mistakenly believe that a patent date painted onto the back of their piano
represents the date of manufacture of their piano. The patent date only indicates that some particular
design that was incorporated into their piano was registered at that date. The patent could have been registered many
years before their particular piano was made.
I get calls from all over Canada, United States and even Mexico from people who want to know how old their piano is. These calls often come in the middle of my work day when I am tuning a piano or talking to a client.
There is obiously a demand for this information, so rather than taking phone calls that interupt my work schedule so I am offering this service on my website for a nominal fee of $10 plus GST.
You will find the serial number of your piano if you lift the lid and look at the back of the piano around the tuning pins (in an upright piano).
For a grand piano pull the music desk forward until you can see the area around the tuning pins.
I have three separate sources that I refer to for Canadian piano makers. If I am not able to find the information for your piano you will get a paypal refund.
