Misdee Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 (edited) Does anybody know if there is a U.K website with For Sale ads similar to Basschat but for piano enthusiasts? Does anybody know the best way to about selling a piano by other means? I am asking because , I am very sorry to say, my step-father has just been diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease and we need to get rid of his piano to make space for a conversion downstairs to help accommodate his increasing lack of mobility. It's very sad indeed because he has played piano since he was 5 years old, but he is no longer able to even sit at the piano stool, let alone play anymore. I am reliably informed that the piano is a very good quality upright from around 1900. It has been well looked after and maintained by an excellent piano tuner . I can supply more details if necessary. Any help or advice very gratefully received Edited July 29, 2020 by Misdee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 Depends on the piano, and then where you are in the UK. If you're in / near a metropolitan city you might find a local shop willing to take it off you, or punt out to gumtree. Further out it can be harder. We had real difficulty getting rid of a lovely Bechstein upright recently from my dad's house on Norfolk coast, couldn't give it away. They're bloody heavy and difficult to move - so transport is the main hurdle. Had one couple thinking they could wheel it home! Whoever collects needs min of tail lift, and ideally piano moving trolley. Best place to start is put some calls into nearest local music shops, they should have good idea of what it's like where you are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 A search of eBay sold items indicates they do sell. You’re never going to ship it, so why not list it on a cheap listing day? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricksterphil Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 7 hours ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said: A search of eBay sold items indicates they do sell. You’re never going to ship it, so why not list it on a cheap listing day? I reckon this is your best bet. There's also Gumtree and your local Facebook marketplace although the later can be problematic with more time wasters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 Agree with previous posts, assuming you’re okay with dealing with callers and you have a rough idea of what the piano is worth. I sold my small upright not long ago to a piano dealer who travels the UK buying them. Got a fair-ish price with him after trying it advertised locally with no luck. They are funny things to sell, and prices / demand seem to vary greatly, but good quality ones will always sell most easily. (Overstrung and underdamped are the desired features which yours should have.) Maybe with some people still in lockdown mode they might be looking at new things to learn? There are some dealers you can try if you just Google ‘pianos bought for cash’. Fill in the forms with details and you should get some response, that’s how I sold mine. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dom in Dorset Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 From 1900 is too early for for many dealers, the place I work for doesn't buy uprights pre 1960 unless they are from a few select makers (Steinway , Bechstein Bluthner etc). Many pianos from that time were still overdamper types with straight stringing. If you look inside and see this: You have such a piano. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 We were looking for a piano for my daughter a couple of years ago, a relative had one they didn’t need and was happy for us to have it for free. When we looked into the cost of moving it and getting it tuned we ended up going for a good quality keyboard instead. There always seem to be a few on my local musical for sale Facebook group for not a lot. I think the ideas above about listing on a cheap day and contacting local dealers are sound, but be prepared for eBay morons to bid before they have looked into transport costs (we were quoted £350 to move one 20 miles and have it retuned, one guy wanted £600 just to move it!) Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dom in Dorset Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 (edited) It's unlikely that we'd buy it but we do nationwide moves, you can get a quote for moves here: http://allinstruments.com/PianoRemovals.asp Edited July 30, 2020 by Dom in Dorset It offended my artistic sensibilities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJWW Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 I've been trying to get rid of our upright piano for a couple of weeks. Really strange how you literally can't give them away. Gumtree, Facebook etc I've had so many timewasters and dreamers who have no idea how difficult it is to move a piano and end up going cold once the novelty wears off. I was considering whether it would be worth charging a nominal fee of some kind to deter the tossers and attract a more serious enquiry but I'll give it a bit longer and see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinnyman Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 We recently got a local removal firm (with piano-moving experience) to collect a piano which we’d just bought. It was a 50 mile move and because we were flexible on dates and able to tie it in to a trip they were already making, it cost us £75. If you can find such a firm locally, maybe advertise the piano as “free local delivery” and build the cost into your price? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 It's really sad that the cost of moving pianos makes them uneconomic either to sell or buy these days, my eldest daughter would love one but it appears you have to spend a small fortune to get anything vaguely decent moved, and if these guys can drop one, anyone can https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/11/americas/piano-fazioli-smashed-movers-intl-scli/index.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BreadBin Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 12 hours ago, Dom in Dorset said: It's unlikely that we'd buy it but we do nationwide moves, you can get a quote for moves here: http://allinstruments.com/PianoRemovals.asp I drive past your place every day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Dare Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 If all else fails... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misdee Posted July 31, 2020 Author Share Posted July 31, 2020 Thank you so much to everybody who has offered advice, because I really had no idea where to start looking ! It transpires that the the piano is a Broadwood from the 1920's, and I am making some enquiries about getting a piano dealer to have a look at it. Cheers everybody! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dom in Dorset Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 22 minutes ago, Misdee said: Thank you so much to everybody who has offered advice, because I really had no idea where to start looking ! It transpires that the the piano is a Broadwood from the 1920's, and I am making some enquiries about getting a piano dealer to have a look at it. Cheers everybody! You shouldn't have too much trouble selling a Broadwood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 On 30/07/2020 at 08:41, Dom in Dorset said: It's unlikely that we'd buy it but we do nationwide moves, you can get a quote for moves here: http://allinstruments.com/PianoRemovals.asp Just looked at your prices and they seem more than reasonable! Bordering on bargain I would say. Wish I had known about you when we were looking to move one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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