Piano Assessment is not a Child’s Play

It’s 10 AM in Alappuzha and vehicles whizz past on the highway parallel to the inland waterways. If you stop by Thumpoly Junction and turn your eyes around, you will reach Saptaswara, a small building opposite a Catholic church. No, as you think soothing melodies or gritty rap music are not in store for anyone who comes here. All that you get to see here is, a man nearing his naughty seventies and a bunch of both old and new pianos around him. The locals call him “Beethoven.” He resorts to piano assessment and at times, repairs pianos to earn a living. 

All that glitters is not gold

You may wonder, what’s so surprising about him? Well, absolutely nothing. He is just another best assessor of piano in God’s Own Country. If you have been planning for a while to buy or sell a piano, “Beethoven” is at your doorstep. Open your mouth and tell him what kind of a piano you are looking for. Or just walk into his shop with your old piano so that he can tell you in one nano-second how worth an instrument it is. Either way, he is unapologetic when his client raises eyebrow for knowing the real value of the piano. He says, “It’s a challenge to get to see a well-assembled and efficiently working piano nowadays. If at all, we spot on one the net value of it would be pretty high. No wonder! The cost or pricing is mainly determined through the brand of the parts used for the product. Then again, the import duties levied on them just turn the situation worse.”

Many cheap and low quality products conquer the market due to the surge in demand. And ordinary people often fall prey to those for their excellent appearance and mind-blowing tunes. Hardly they know that such pianos are durable. Only an expert in piano assessment knows the nuances of the functions of the mechanism of this complex instrument. 

After having narrowed down; the type of piano you would like to buy, keep in mind these very important tips to check out the quality of the product:

1. The quality of the soundboard: The more flexible the soundboard is, the more vibration it creates. 

2. The fineness of the wood used: Is the outer rim made of spruce? There you go. 

3. The excellence of the pins and strings: Is every note being played on your piano if the pin is appropriately tuned? Don’t give even a second look at the piano if the pins have excessive rust.

4. The consistency of the pitch: The approximate pitch a piano should have is A440Hz. Does your piano lack it?

5. The superiority of the keys and hammer: What use is your piano if the keys are not dynamic and sensitive?

6. The malleability of the pedals: Make sure the pedals help stay making prolonged sound. 

7. The overall structure: Just check there is no missing parts and everything is neatly arranged. 

Do you still suspect the authenticity of the assessment? If yes, consult a technician to carry out an extensive piano assessment. Now, does that strike a chord? 

Reference: http://www.total-piano-care.com/how-to-buy-a-used-piano-checklist.html

Keyword: Piano assessment