The Definitive Piano Buying Guide for New, Used, and Restored Pianos and Digital Pianos

The Private and Public Sides of Celebrity Pianos

KAREN E. LILE

A piano can acquire a history, through association with a celebrity, that will give it extra value—even (though rarely) into the millions of dollars—above and beyond what it might be worth solely as a musical instrument. Some of these “celebrity pianos” are known to the public through famous people who design and market their celebrity status for a charity or business. But in my experience, it’s more common for a celebrity or a celebrity’s heirs to part with a piano in a private transaction than to direct public attention toward their personal property.

The Vertical Piano Is Not Dead: Seiler Brings Premium Action Technology to the Mid-priced ED Series

DR. OWEN LOVELL

Piano geeks, digital-piano zealots, and members of the piano industry in general often speak of the imminent demise of the acoustic vertical, aka upright, piano. Allow me to offer an opposing viewpoint: Seiler’s SMR-equipped instruments can provide a means of enhancing the action performance of a vertical piano in a way that requires less of a compromise when compared to a grand.

Review: A First Look at Kawai's Novus NV10 Hybrid

DR. OWEN LOVELL

The Kawai Novus is different in a way that may not show up in the numbers but that strongly matters to pianists, and brings to the digital-piano industry an important first: The Novus’s touch weight varies based on whether or not the damper pedal is depressed. The Novus is the first production digital piano from a major manufacturer to re-create this feeling—a subtle and important enhancement of the player’s sense of musical control.

Piano Buyer Interview: Joe Ross, Owner of PianoMart.com

“My biggest challenge has been trying to stay one step ahead of the scammers who relentlessly assault the site almost daily. Fortunately, the e-mails that piano sellers receive from scammers are relatively easy to identify. The safest way to buy or sell a piano on the Internet is to use the PianoMart.com free escrow service.”

Cleaning and Polishing a Piano's Finish

DAVE SWARTZ

The purpose of this article is to explain the proper care of the three most common piano finishes today: satin, high gloss, and open pore. To best care for your piano’s finish, you need to know what kind of finish it is, and what its special requirements are.