Eight Keys to Buying a Piano #3 - Materials Make the Piano

The Quality of The Materials Make the Piano

After the design, the next key component of a piano is the quality of the materials. What are the materials used in a piano? Pianos are 80% wood, and the rest is made up of felts and metals (cast and iron frames). What type and quality of wood is used in the different parts of the piano, whether the wood was kiln dried, etc, all make can make a difference in the way the piano plays and sounds.

How can you judge the quality of the materials used in a piano. Actually, this is very tricky because you can't really judge the quality of the materials from the look of the piano. All pianos look pretty good new, and even if there were flaws you might have a hard time noticing them.

Since the quality of the materials used in a piano can be so hard to gauge, here's what I generally recommend: your safe if you go with Mason & Hamlin, Steinway, Yamaha, Bluthner, Seiler, Petrof, August Forster. I'm comfortable with these manufacturers, and you can't generally go wrong buying one of these pianos.

A Retailer to Check Out - Woods Piano Company

A dealer that I highly recommend is Joe Woods, of Woods Piano Company. Joe sells the highest quality pianos (Steinway, Mason & Hamlin, Yamaha, Petrof, Seiler, Bluthner, August Forster, etc.), and his store's prepping of these fine instruments is the best you can find anywhere. His reputation as a dealer is simply unparalleled.

He does focus on the higher end acoustic pianos and as with most things, you do get what you pay for. However, due to his special way of doing business, Woods Pianos are of the highest quality, while his pricing is moderate as compared to other dealers selling instruments of a similar caliber.

Woods Piano Company does ship nationwide. Joe is also great at giving piano buyers service and helpful information. So if you have an interest in high end quality acoustic pianos, check out Woods Piano Company where they can at least help you sort out what type of instrument might best meet your needs.

See this video on the piano soundboard.

For more information about pianos, see this Piano Newsletter Site - Piano Talk Online and a Colorado Piano Site - Colorado Piano Buyers Guide.