What price do you put on memories? About This Page:

[Teresa]

I have "inherited" (interpreted to "no one else wanted it") my mother's piano. Her parents bought it for her when she was 6 or so, about 60 years ago. My Dsis and I learned to play on it (she did concerts at Clowes Hall - I can bang out "Stairway to Heaven") it really needs some serious repair to the outside - the strings, etc are in great condition and were easy to get tuned. We had a piano restorer out today - it will cost about the same to fix this one as to buy a new one. I do want a piano, I enjoy playing around on one every now and then, and DDs like to play.
What would you do? Old piano - fix up for $2200, or buy a new one? or, DH says he saw one the other day at another restorer's shop for $300?

[CAT4WDW]

I think it all comes down to 2 things. 1. How important to you is that its your mother's piano? 2. Is money an issue to repair it. Have you gotten more than one estimate in regards to retoring it?

Catherine

[DrDolphin]

I would keep it since it was mom's and I assume that this means something special to you. Do you plan to play it?? If not - can the repair wait?

[Huntermom]

Also consider how well made the original piano was (it sounds like it was well cared for). A new piano for $2200. is probably not that great a piano and I can't imagine what you can get for $300. Our piano was $1600. used 12 years ago and is far from top of the line. When I was looking better quality used pianos were over $2500. and you never really knew if they were given regular care.

I'd stick with mom's.

Diane

[GATechGal]

I think I would also take into consideration what quality of furniture it is and if it fits in with the other furniture you will have in the room. My old piano (still at Mom's) is a nice blond wood that goes great with my dining furniture. We have some SPECTACULAR old pianos at our church that would be a nice piece of furniture even if they didn't work. They have lots of decorative carvings on the outside and are really lovely.

[Teresa]

You've all given me some things to think of. I told DH this evening that we'd wait on making a decision until later (partly because any expenditure would cut into my WDW fund). The piano is in great working condition, just has not had a good life on the outside (mom kept it in a damp basement for 30 years! - I'm just glad it sounds great)
And, one of the local colleges has a huge performing arts school and at the end of the school year, they have a gigantic piano sale (they get new ones every year) so I may just wait until next July - in the meantime, I'll try a few other piano restorers.

[Huntermom]

Be very careful if the piano was kept in a damp place. I was told that this is the worse thing you can do. Also make sure the piano can hold it's tuning, not just be tuned.

Diane

[Happymommy]

I'd get it fixed.

We're in a similar situation. I have a piano that was made in the very early 20th century. It was given to me for my 10th birthday. The men that moved it from my parent's house to my house told me that they could tell by looking at it who in Philadelphia refinished it before my parents bought it (and they were right), and that its a really good piano. However, it hasn't been tuned in many years, and just doesn't sound good. It's in serious need for some work. But, I really want to keep it, so my kids can learn to play on it. We're saving our money to have it fixed. I have a feeling it would be much cheaper to get a newer piano. I look at it as something really special that can be passed down-- even though I'm the first one to learn on it.

[Caldercup]

The quality of wood used 60 years ago is far superior (in most cases) to that used today.

Being kept in a damp place may have changed the resonance of the case, but the harp (the metal base for the strings) sounds like it's still in good shape... so I'd put it in a dry spot in your house until spring and see if the tonal quality is improved by letting the wood dry out and to see if it holds its recent tuning.

Then make your decision.

Eileen - the inheritor of a 100 year old piano that my mom earned, quarter by quarter, giving piano lessons in the 50's.