Grand Pianos

Buying a grand piano at an estate sale can be one of the most rewarding finds your Atlanta weekends ever turn up, but it pays to know what you are looking at before you bid or write a check.​

Why Estate-Sale Pianos Can Be Smart Buys

Pre-owned pianos often deliver far more value per dollar than new instruments because most of the initial depreciation has already happened, while a well-maintained grand can still perform at a very high musical level for decades. Serious brands are built to last 50–75 years or more with proper care, so an older grand that has been tuned and serviced regularly can be an excellent instrument at a fraction of showroom pricing. Estate environments also tend to offer pianos that have lived in one climate-controlled home rather than in and out of storage or gigging situations, which is good news for the soundboard, pinblock, and action stability.​

How to Judge Value and Condition

When you encounter a grand at a sale, value is a blend of brand, age, condition, and market demand in your region, not just how glossy the case looks. Start by checking:​

• Serial number and model: These tell you age and tier. Newer is not always better, but very old low-tier uprights often have little resale value regardless of cosmetics.​

• Structural integrity: Inspect soundboard and bridges for visible cracks, pinblock for loose tuning pins, and the plate for any signs of repair or damage. Structural issues can exceed the piano’s value to fix.​

• Action and tone: Play every key to check for sticking, sluggish repetition, or buzzing. Healthy grands should produce an even, singing tone with consistent touch across the keyboard.​

Because many buyers and even some estate liquidators focus on furniture and décor, a solid mid-tier grand can sometimes be priced like a decorative object rather than a musical instrument, which is where informed shoppers quietly gain the upper hand.​

Brands, Sizes, and Space Requirements

In the used market, well-maintained grands from makers such as Steinway & Sons, Yamaha, Kawai, and certain higher-tier European brands tend to hold value best and attract the strongest demand from serious players and teachers. A baby grand typically runs roughly 5 to 5½ feet in length, while full grands range from about 6 feet up to 7–9 feet for semi- and concert grands. The longer the piano, the longer the strings and the larger the soundboard, which generally supports a richer, more powerful tone. For home placement, a baby grand usually needs at least a 6.5–7 foot square of open floor (allowing for bench and player), while a full grand is more comfortable in a larger room where you can give it several additional feet of clearance around the tail and lid to let the sound bloom and to avoid visual overcrowding. Hardwood or tile floors, area rugs, and distance from exterior doors and HVAC vents all factor into how well the instrument will project and how stable its tuning will be.​

Yamaha Grands and Moving Logistics

Yamaha grands and baby grands are especially attractive at estate sales because they are known for reliable build quality, stable tuning, and a clear, modern tone that suits everything from classical to jazz and pop. In many markets, a carefully maintained Yamaha G- or C-series grand will command robust resale value and is widely respected by teachers, technicians, and working musicians, which makes it easier to justify restoration work or an eventual resale if your needs change. When it comes to getting a grand out of the house, professional piano movers are strongly recommended. Reputable specialists typically charge a few hundred dollars for local moves, with higher fees for stairs, tight turns, or very large instruments, but they bring dollies, skid boards, climate considerations, and insurance that protect your investment and the property. Attempting to move a grand yourself requires disassembling the legs and lyre, supporting the instrument on a proper piano skid, using heavy-duty straps and multiple experienced lifters, and even then carries real risk of damage to the plate, rim, or action that can instantly wipe out any bargain you thought you secured.​

Caring for Your Grand

Once the piano is in its new home, a grand rewards consistent care. Most technicians recommend tuning at least twice a year in a residential setting, and more often if the piano is heavily played or the climate fluctuates. Keeping the instrument away from direct sunlight, fireplaces, exterior doors, and vents, and maintaining as stable a temperature and humidity level as possible, often with help from a room or built-in piano humidifier system, will prolong the life of the soundboard, pinblock, and action components. A regular relationship with a qualified piano technician for tuning, regulation (adjusting touch and responsiveness), and occasional voicing (refining tone) ensures that your estate-sale find not only holds its value but becomes the musical centerpiece of a room instead of just another big piece of furniture.