One of the most challenging things about starting to learn piano is the cost.
There's the books, the tools, the teacher, and of course, the piano.
We can't help with the first three, but here are five places to find a solid practice piano for cheap.
1.
Friends and Family Many of the people you know probably have a piano sitting in their house.
Tragically, many of these fine instruments are rarely played, and the owners might be getting tired of seeing them sit around their house.
They might be happy to let them go if they knew it was going to a new piano player who would be using them regularly.
You'll never know if you don't ask.
2.
Garage Sales A lot of fine pianos are sold for cheap at garage sales.
Make the rounds and see what you can find.
A word of caution, though: don't forget to have them checked out by a reputable piano technician.
You'll also need to ensure that you factor in the cost of moving and tuning the piano.
3.
eBay / Craigslist In my area, dozens of pianos are listed for sale every week on Craigslist and eBay.
Many of these pianos are still in great shape, and can be purchased at a very reasonable price.
Similar to buying from garage sales, you'll want to have the piano checked out by a technician and you'll want to ensure you include the cost of moving and tuning the piano after you purchase it.
4.
Want Ads in Newspapers Many people with pianos they want to get rid of never get around to doing so, so you have to give them a nudge.
Put a want ad in the newspaper or on Craigslist saying that you want to buy a solid used piano for practice.
Include that you're a new piano student.
See what kind of calls you get; you might be surprised.
5.
Piano Movers and Piano Storage Companies Finally, you might want to check with piano movers and storage companies in your area.
They often hear about good deals on used pianos that the owners no longer want, or abandon in their storage facility.
Give these companies a call, introduce yourself, and tell them what you're looking for.
It can't hurt to try.
Conclusion It's hard to learn to play piano without a piano, and you might be concerned because you don't have a big budget, but with a little creativity and hustle, you might be surprised how affordably you can purchase your first piano.
There's the books, the tools, the teacher, and of course, the piano.
We can't help with the first three, but here are five places to find a solid practice piano for cheap.
1.
Friends and Family Many of the people you know probably have a piano sitting in their house.
Tragically, many of these fine instruments are rarely played, and the owners might be getting tired of seeing them sit around their house.
They might be happy to let them go if they knew it was going to a new piano player who would be using them regularly.
You'll never know if you don't ask.
2.
Garage Sales A lot of fine pianos are sold for cheap at garage sales.
Make the rounds and see what you can find.
A word of caution, though: don't forget to have them checked out by a reputable piano technician.
You'll also need to ensure that you factor in the cost of moving and tuning the piano.
3.
eBay / Craigslist In my area, dozens of pianos are listed for sale every week on Craigslist and eBay.
Many of these pianos are still in great shape, and can be purchased at a very reasonable price.
Similar to buying from garage sales, you'll want to have the piano checked out by a technician and you'll want to ensure you include the cost of moving and tuning the piano after you purchase it.
4.
Want Ads in Newspapers Many people with pianos they want to get rid of never get around to doing so, so you have to give them a nudge.
Put a want ad in the newspaper or on Craigslist saying that you want to buy a solid used piano for practice.
Include that you're a new piano student.
See what kind of calls you get; you might be surprised.
5.
Piano Movers and Piano Storage Companies Finally, you might want to check with piano movers and storage companies in your area.
They often hear about good deals on used pianos that the owners no longer want, or abandon in their storage facility.
Give these companies a call, introduce yourself, and tell them what you're looking for.
It can't hurt to try.
Conclusion It's hard to learn to play piano without a piano, and you might be concerned because you don't have a big budget, but with a little creativity and hustle, you might be surprised how affordably you can purchase your first piano.