We buy quality grand and upright pianos. Piano makes of interest include: Bechstein, Blüthner, Bösendorfer, Fazer, Fazioli, Feurich, Grotrian Steinweg, Kawai, Knight, Lipp, Sauter, Seiler, Steinway, Welmar and Yamaha. Please see our common makes page for ratings of all common makes of piano.
Note: we can only value pianos that are in the UK.
Valuation form
UPRIGHT PIANOS
Bechstein 7(1911)
The table below gives the best ones available in the UK, placed in order of the most common good pianos available. We’ve listed the ones tuners and performers regard as the best, irrespective of age, but taking into account tone, touch and appearance. Prices are a guide only. There are of course hundreds of upright pianos and we have only listed the most common and some of the best. For a fuller list of common makes available in the UK, please see our common makes page. If you are interested in purchasing or selling a make not listed please contact us. For Yamahas, see the menu on the left.
GERMAN UPRIGHT PIANOS
| Make | Model | Length | Year | un-restored | restored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bechstein | All | 122-145cm | 1880-present | £500-£2,000 | £4,000-£9,000 |
There is much variety in Bechsteins available, so it’s hard to generalize on price. We deal mostly in models 10, 9 and 8. Model V (5) is also very common and often has attractive inlay, but models I to V suffer a lot from loose tuning pins and so need repining and often a new pin-block. Model 7 is excellent but rare. Model 6 is rarer still but in superb in every way. (prices as of 2014)
| Bechstein | 10 | 126cm | 1902-1929 | £500-£1,000 | £2,500-£4,500 |
Normally comes in black, rosewood or mahogany. Beautiful warm rich tone. NB bass not very deep tone as strings are short.(prices as of 2014)
| Bechstein | 9 | 122cm | 1902-1929 | £700-£1,500 | £2,900-£5,000 |
Normally black, rosewood or mahogany. Rich tone. (prices as of 2014)
| Bechstein | 8 | 129cm | 1902-1929 | £700-£1,200 | £3,000-£9,000 |
Usually black, rosewood or mahogany. Rich tone. Action difficult to set up. Good all round piano with more “serious” tone than models 9 and 10. (prices as of 2014)
| Kaps | One Model | 130cm | 1898-1915 | £200-£700 | £2,500-£4,000 |
| Well made pianos, often decorative Art Nouveau and Art Deco with strong rich tone. Can vary in quality. | |||||
| Steinway | K | 156cm | £1,000 – 6,000 | £8,000 – £13,000 | |
| N/A | |||||
| Steinway | N | 154cm | £1,500 – £4,000 | £9,000 – £12,000 | |
| N/A | |||||
| Steinway | V | 153cm | £1,000 – £6,000 | £8,500 – £12,000 | |
| N/A | |||||
| Other less common good makes include Blüthner (older ones are usually over-dampers), Steinway, Förster (old ones good), Bösendorfer (Austrian, excellent but rare), Feurich, Gors & Kallman (varied), Grotrian Steinweg (excellent), Ibach (older ones common but over-dampers), Schimmell and Zimmermann (not recommended until 1995 when merged with Bechstein). Modern Bechsteins, Steinways, etc are notlisted above because they rarely appear on the second-hand market. |
MODERN ENGLISH AND OTHER EUROPEAN UPRIGHT PIANOS
| Make | Model | Length | Year | un-restored | restored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knight | K10 | 122cm | 1963-1988 | £500-£1,000 | £1,500-£3000 |
| Knight | K20 | 110cm | 1963-1988 | £500-£1,000 | £1,500-£3000 |
| Modernstyle. Usually mahogany, sometimes walnut or teak. Teachers’ favorite, made with great integrity. Full singing tone for modern piano. Older knights from 1950 to 1960 smaller and more varied. Post 1989 pianos are not made in the original way and are inferior. |
| Welmar | Modern style | 104-120cm | 1965-1991 | £300-£1,000 | £1,700-£4,000 |
| Consistent good quality, rich mellow tone and fine touch. The 30s ones are taller pianos influenced by Blüthner (Welmar were the importers of Blüthner) and of similar quality. |
TRADITIONAL ENGLISH AND OTHER EUROPEAN UPRIGHT PIANOS
| Make | Model | Length | Year | un-restored | restored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Welmar | 30’s Style | 130cm | 1928-1940 | £300-£1,000 | £1,500-£3,000 |
| Fine quality with rich tone and smooth touch. In collaboration with Blüthner, for whom they were the agents. |
