FAQ | Nottingham Pianos

After care of my piano?

Pianos are likely to go slightly out of tune within the first 6 weeks due to transport and the piano settling in to its new environment so it is advised that a piano is tuned/serviced by a reputable technician to ensure stability and long term reliability of the instrument. We advise the instrument is kept in a room that doesn’t vary in temperature (averagely 20°C) from one extreme to another and that humidity is kept within 40%-70%. If the piano is placed in rooms such as a conservatory, garage, in front of a radiator, on underfloor heating (without use of a protective carpet) or in a kitchen for long periods of time, or next to tumble dryers, this can lead to problems with the piano. It is also recommended that the piano is tuned and serviced at least once every year.

What is the average cost of delivery?

Prices on delivery vary as every job is different. We do our own local deliveries and use a few professional piano moving companies for long distance/nationwide which we compare their prices and get the cheapest price to you. Typically any local ground floor easy access delivery (within 20 miles) is between £75-£150. Delivery on pianos further away will have to be worked out on a case by case basis. If you can send us your postcode and delivery details such as whether the piano is to be delivered ground floor, whether there are any other obstacles such as steps, grass or gravel then we will be able to send this over to the couriers and get you a quote.

How do I find out the age of my piano?

The age of a piano can usually be determined by a serial No search online. The serial No of a piano can appear in many places on a piano. Most common places include, on the iron frame, on the soundboard (either top or bottom) or sometimes on the backs of the hammer heads. I some cases the serial No might be on the back of the piano. We usually use https://onlinepianoatlas.com/piano-age-calculator/ to determine the age of a piano.

“I see free pianos all the time, what is the difference?”

Firstly we would stress that no piano is ‘free’. Costs for moving pianos can be quite expensive and we would highly recommend paying a local piano technician first to look at the piano before buying. With pianos its always best to have a piano that has been well looked after, and has had all the necessary work carried out on it. Fixing a piano isn’t cheap and can be quite costly due to the time involved and materials needed. We have had to deal with a lot of these ‘free’ pianos in the past which have to be disposed of and so we recommend staying well clear of them.

What does over-strung and under-damped mean?

Overstrung, straight-strung, over-damped and under-damped are terms that get thrown around on the internet quite a lot when searching for an upright piano and what to look out for. In short they are words to describe how the piano is dampened and how they are strung.

Over-strung: Where the bass strings cross over the treble strings at an angle to allow for a richer tone.

Straight-strung: The bass strings don’t cross over the treble strings and is an inferior design as opposed to over-strung.

Over-damped: Where the dampeners are positioned above the hammers to allow dampening.

Under-damped: Where the dampeners are positioned under the hammers and are generally better at dampening the sound as opposed to the over-dampening design.

It’s quite common to see the over-damped, straight strung design on pianos before the 1930s. Almost every modern piano (70s onwards) will be under-damped and be over-strung.

Why do some pianos have two pedals and other have three?

The standard for all pianos is that they have two pedals. On both uprights and grand pianos the right hand pedal will lift all of the dampeners allowing the strings to resonate even after the key as been released.

The left pedal is commonly referred to as the ‘Una Corda” meaning one string. In grands this will shift the keyboard slightly so that the hammers will strike two out of the three strings in the treble and one string in the bi-chords in the bass giving the piano a quieter sound and a change in tone. In some grands it will lift the hammers closer to the strings allowing for quieter playing when the piano is pressed. In uprights the left pedal will raise the hammer rest rail bringing the hammers closer to the strings thus allowing for quieter playing. You might also notice lost motion within the keys as the jacks are now a fraction away from the hammer butt.

The middle pedal can vary from piano to piano. On most uprights the middle pedal will act as a ‘practice mode’ which when engaged and locked into position allows a rail (often called the celeste rail) to be positioned between the hammers and the strings. The felt attached to this rail stops the hammers from making direct contact with the strings and muffles the sound allowing for quieter playing. This pedal can also be used on silent pianos to mute the piano for the use of headphones. In some rare instances usually on American console pianos such as Kimball or Wurlitzer, the middle pedal can act as an alternate mode to dampening where only the bass dampeners will be lifted. The middle pedal on a grand piano usually engages a sostenuto feature where only the notes being played will sustain and the rest will remain damped.

What is the best room for my piano to be in?

Ideally a piano should be placed in a room that doesn’t change too much in temperature or humidity. The room should average around 20°C and be within the region of 40%-70% humidity. The piano should be positioned far enough away from heat sources such as a radiator or a fireplace/log burner. Underfloor heating can also cause problems for pianos and it is advised that a protective piano matt is purchased if your piano is being placed on underfloor heating. Rooms to avoid would be the conservatory, kitchen, garage or basement (if damp or cold).

Do you buy pianos privately?

We sometimes buy pianos privately if they fall within our criteria of what we desire in a piano. The piano will have to be built from the 70s onwards, (unless it is a prestigious brand such as Steinway) and is in good condition internally. We try to offer better deals than most others in the trade if the pianos are in good condition and it can be something we sell on. We will arrange the transport with you directly and pay before the piano is collected for peace of mind. As some pianos are quite sentimental we will often keep you updated with when the piano sells and where the pianos next chapter in life will be and who it will be enjoyed by if this is something you would be interested to know.

Do you offer trade in discounts?

We do offer trade in discounts if the piano you’re looking to trade in is saleable. Otherwise there will be a disposal fee if the piano can’t be sold on by us. The amount that can be discounted will be entirely dependant on the piano and the distance you are from the store.

“How much is it to have my own piano painted?”

Painting your own piano will be a standard charge of £495. Satin black will be £595 as it requires more preparation. If the piano is in need of other repair work such as key-tops, new castors, regulation, etc these can be advised upon receiving the piano and quoted accordingly. The transport costs will depend on your location.

Do you offer a tuning service?

We do our own in house tuning on our pianos prior to sale so any other reputable tuner won't have a problem tuning one of our pianos after sale. We also offer a full professional local tuning service along with our bespoke service package to all customers covering tuning pianos within a 20 mile radius of Nottingham. More information on these can be found on the piano tuning tab.

Can you deliver a piano upstairs?

Yes we can take pianos up and downstairs however we always recommend a piano goes on the ground floor if possible due to the weight.

Can you remove my old piano?

Absolutely! We offer a complete disposal service with prices starting from £125. Your piano if removed professionally and disposed of completely ethically.