Factors to consider
Quality is of paramount importance as it determines its durability and also its price. A high quality piano is a good investment as you will not incur the costs of repair very frequently. It will also provide high quality sound which is very important especially for those performing music in public or commercially.
Whether you should buy a new less costly upright piano or a second hand piano will depend on your tastes and preferences. Some people will want to impress their friends with an older version because it looks exquisite while for some people would simply like a piano for practice.
The amount of money you will spend is obviously affected by the quality of Upright piano you will buy. The taller the Upright piano the longer the strings and the soundboard and therefore the more clear the tone.
The space where the piano will be kept should be adequate. A space of about 5 feet x5 feet deep area is adequate. This also gives enough space for the bench and for the pianist to maneuver.
Shopping for the piano
Visit as many retailers as possible to enquire about the cost. This should also be complimented by visiting as many piano websites as possible. You can also visit auction sites like e-bay and amazon.com which have quite a range of products. Most of piano websites are in English though you may prefer to look through other websites that are in French, Chinese and German.
You should be willing to negotiate the price as most retailers will be willing to offer you discount. After deciding on the piano that you wish to buy ask for a warranty of at least six months. Finally the Piano should be checked by a certified piano technician to ascertain its quality as new upright pianos are quite expensive.
Examples of brand names and their cost. The brands below are found in the UK market.
-Wilh Steinberg upright £6500
-Essex EUP 123 Upright £ 5150
-Wendl&Lung Model 110 £ 2400
-Boston UP 132 Upright £8000
-Brodmann BU-132 Upright £4500
Other reputable brand names which you may want to check for prices on the internet are gulbransen
Pianos, Hamilton pianos, Winter pianos, Sohmer pianos, Brambach pianos and Howard pianos.
These brand names are found in the west but with the growing Chinese and Indian economies there has been a rise in the number of Chinese and Indian pianos that are flooding the western market. These pianos are thought to be cheaper though they lack in quality sometimes.