When you cannot find someone to purchase the piano, I will describe what you should look for as a buyer. In this article, I will break down how you can get rid of a piano in 8 simple ways. Getting rid of an instrument like a piano can be mostly tricky because you need to try to recoup some of your initial investment.
1. List The Piano For Sale Online
Facebook Marketplace is a fresh and emerging platform, whereas Craigslist and eBay have established a reputation for delivering satisfactory outcomes. With a plethora of marketplaces available, the most convenient method to attract attention to your piano is by posting it for sale on the internet.
The marketplace on Facebook is particularly good for buyers because they can connect with sellers, see clear descriptions and uploaded pictures, easily add items to their list, and pick the price that suits them.
You can also include your instrument’s location, condition, and various other details in your listing. Posting high-quality pictures or videos of your instrument on Facebook, a popular social media platform, will enhance the shareability of your listings.
If you’re looking to score a good deal on a piano, keep in mind that you’ll mostly come across bargain hunters on online listings. To help gain more traction, you can also consider running paid advertisements on your Facebook marketplace listing.
When listing your online piano, make an effort to take the best pictures possible using smartphones that are equipped with excellent cameras, so that even poor lighting can be compensated for and great details can be captured.
It is also important for the description to make sure that the condition of the instrument is transparent. For example, if there is a significant scratch on the fallboard, make sure to note that.
The last thing you want is for a buyer to come and see the piano, and they thought it was not what they were looking for.
This will allow you to negotiate a fair asking price range. I purposely recommend listing your instrument above your desired price by a few thousand dollars. Once you find a potential buyer, this will allow you to negotiate a fair asking price for the instrument.
Sometimes, when listing an instrument online, it can be a good idea to get help in order to lower the list price, especially if the instrument is on the more expensive side of the spectrum and there is competition from other sellers.
When consulting individuals within your personal network, my next suggestion is to assess whether there is an urgency to sell your piano. Anticipate relocating it within a timeframe of 2 to 3 weeks, although genuine inquiries may result in a prompt listing in as little as 3 days.
2. Ask Friends, Family, And Students
If you have friends and family who are interested in purchasing a piano, they may be willing to take yours off your hands, especially since you personally know someone who is knowledgeable about the instrument.
It’s also a great suggestion to inquire your neighbors if they would be interested in purchasing your piano.
If you could give at least a discount or away the piano, would you care much about making a profit, even if it substantially affects anything?
If you are running a piano teaching studio, you could even ask your students if they are interested in having only the most appealing digital keyboards as their pianos.
The truly dedicated students would certainly be interested in buying your device if the price appears reasonable.
3. Offer To Pay For The Piano Movers And Tuning Fees
If you want to increase your chances of getting rid of the piano, simply throw it away as an incentive. Most people don’t want to deal with the hassle of tuning and moving the instrument, whether you’re offering it to a friend or selling it online.
I would recommend only using this service for nearby relocations. For relocations over a great distance, anticipate a minimum cost of $2000 or possibly more. The majority of piano moving companies charge $500 for local piano transportation.
You could even work the moving costs into the price of the instrument so that you’re actually not out of any money.
Offering piano tunings can be quite expensive, with the minimum cost being $150. Tuning the instrument is a nice gesture that you can consider throwing in.
4. Trade Your Piano In For A New One
Sometimes, however, there is only one option available, which is to store a piano and resell it to a music fan who is not necessarily a fan of pianos. Some pianos also have value in trade, similar to trading a car.
While you’re likely not able to get the instrument anywhere near what it’s worth, stores are willing to take the piano off your hands.
You can save a minimum of $500, as most stores will cover the expenses for moving the piano. It is advantageous that you can opt for either cash or store credit as a form of payment. There are some advantages to selling your piano to a music store.
Regardless of the brand and type, and regardless of the piano’s condition, these stores will be interested in acquiring the instrument.
If you’re unsure about how much your piano is worth, this guide will help you in the process of negotiating with music stores, especially those that specialize in pianos. Make sure to check out the Bluebook for pianos.
Be sure to use this option only as a last resort. If you sell the instrument online or to someone in the community, you will easily get much more for it.
5. Call Your Local Piano Technician
Most piano tuners do not consider themselves accomplished players, but they believe it is important to be experts in regulating and repairing instruments when it comes to piano tuning.
Because they have a good idea of what a fair price is for the piano, they are more likely to get a tuner when dealing with it. Letting them know that you are making your instrument available for sale will likely pique their interest and they may find it worth the price.
In any case, repairing it requires a technician’s mindset. Technicians will be able to examine the piano as an instrument and address the numerous issues it may have. Selling it will also be much easier for you than it would be for someone else.
6. Donate Your Piano To A Local Charity Or Church
If you are not interested in selling your piano, there are plenty of local schools, churches, and charities in the community that would be willing to accept your instrument.
You can expect that they will take great care of the instrument and make good use of it in most cases. The good news is that if you donate the piano, you’ll be doing a great service to a group of people who really need it.
Donating a piano is also a tax deduction, so this can assist in that aspect as well.
In addition, there are many national organizations that will accept your instrument, so consider donating locally to studios, piano schools, colleges, senior communities, and hospitals where you can see it in use.
7. List Your Piano at PianoAdoption Or On Piano Forums
This website allows you to list your piano based on location. The first option is PianoAdoption.Com. There are many other online communities where you could list your piano for free or for sale.
Hopefully, you’ll be able to eliminate the tool and attract some notice for your listing, although it’s not the most dynamic community.
You will find a lot of interest in your instrument and there are chances to choose from various discussion boards. There are huge dedicated forums related to all things piano. You could also make use of the forums Pianostreet and Pianoworld.
The community on these forums is highly knowledgeable about the piano, so ensure that you are open and honest about your instrument.
There are plenty of opportunities for networking in these two specific forums. You can even build leads for potential piano buyers and also get great advice on how to price your instrument on the discussion boards.
8. Use A Junk Removal Service For Piano Removal
I can help you get rid of them, and utilize junkyards to transport heavy equipment, such as trucks, for garbage disposal services. If you can’t really seem to find someone to take your piano, you could always consider utilizing a junk removal service.
If the truck is only filled up a quarter of the way, the cost may be $125 versus $300 if the truck is full up to half. The fee rate for charging services mostly depends on how much space the vehicle is filled up.
If you’re solely relocating a piano, then the expenses involved in properly packaging the instrument, detaching the legs, and following other specific protocols, which usually cost around $500, can be avoided since you don’t seem concerned about safeguarding the instrument in any manner. Therefore, this will likely be a rather inexpensive undertaking for you.
Instead, you’ll collaborate with a duo who will manually hoist your equipment into the vehicle using any available method.
If you are moving and downsizing, it makes sense to take advantage of the service of junk removal to get rid of other items you don’t need, including your piano.
Related Questions
How much does it cost to remove a piano? Typically, there is no charge for piano disposal. The expenses associated with moving the instrument fall on the buyer. Prior to listing it for sale, there may be a fee for having a certified piano technician assess its condition. Additionally, if you aim to obtain a higher value for the piano, there is a possibility of incurring costs for instrument repairs.
Local youth centers, disadvantaged communities, churches, and local music organizations all have the ability to contribute pianos. Numerous websites dedicated to piano donations can be found online. Absolutely, it is possible to make a piano donation. Is it possible to donate a piano?
How do you dispose of a broken piano when it’s beyond repair? When a piano is broken, how do you get rid of it? Can you dispose of a broken piano through a junk removal service? Another option is to donate the piano to a group willing to fix and dismantle it into smaller parts.