| Contents |
1. How this piano works. The action. How the action works in a vertical piano ; How the action works in a grand piano -- 2. Buying a piano: an orientation. Initial considerations: Proficiency level ; Space ; Money ; Furniture ; Should I buy a grand or a vertical piano? ; What size piano should I buy? ; Should I buy a new or a used piano? Looking for a piano (or zen and the art of piano buying) -- 3. Buying a new piano. Marketing ; How pianos differ in quality and features: Case and cabinet construction, styling, and finish ; Structural and tuning stability ; Scale design and strings ; Bridges and soundboard ; Listening to tone ; The action ; Keys ; Hammers ; Pedals and trapwork ; Final preparation ; Serviceability ; Warranty -- Shopping for a new piano: Choosing a piano dealer ; Prices, sales, and merchandising ; How to save money ; Servicing after delivery ; Buying a school or institutional piano -- 4. A consumer guide to new and recently made pianos. The new piano survey: The myth of objectivity ; The survey and its limitations ; How to use this guide ; Need more help? ; Notice to readers -- The piano industry today: an overview ; Index to trade names ; Brand-by-brand listings and reviews: Miscellaneous ; Stencil pianos -- Other items of interest: Should I buy a digital piano? ; MIDI interfaces for pianos ; Electronic player pianos ; Advances in piano technology -- 5. Buying a used piano. What's out there: Players and reproducers -- How to find a used piano ; Checking out the piano ; How much is it worth? Prices of used pianos ; Depreciation schedule for pianos -- After the sale ; Selling your piano ; Addendum: buying a used Steinway: List of Steinway models from 1853 to present ; Ages of Steinway pianos ; Teflon bushings ; Verdigris -- 6. Piano moving and storage. Why not to move a piano yourself ; How pianos are moved ; Moving a piano around a room ; Hiring a piano mover for a local move ; Interstate, long-distance, and household moves ; International moving ; Storage ; The effects of moving and storage -- 7. A beginner's guide to piano servicing. Tuning: What is tuning ; Why do pianos go out of tune? ; How often and when should I have my piano tuned? -- Humidity and pianos: Relative humidity ; Where to place the piano ; Temperature ; Voicing ; Cleaning and polishing ; The long-range outlook -- The piano technician. |
