When a Student Outgrows Their Digital Piano: What’s Next?

Eventually, a student will outgrow a digital piano, and you may be unsure of what the next step should be. Here are some tips to guide you in making the right choice:

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝗼𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲:

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝗼𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗣𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗼?

We recommend choosing an acoustic piano over a digital one. While digital pianos have their advantages, they simply cannot match the experience of playing a high-quality acoustic piano. The physical mechanism of an acoustic piano—where padded hammers strike steel strings—provides a far superior experience compared to the sound produced by a digital instrument. It helps students learn to listen for and produce different tone colors on the piano.

𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗣𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗼 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀:

𝗞𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗶, 𝗬𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗵𝗮, 𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻?

Buying a piano is a lot like buying a used car—you’ll want to focus on finding a reliable brand and model series. We recommend looking at Kawai and Yamaha. These two brands are the best and most consistent when it comes to acoustic upright pianos. You might hear that Steinway & Sons or Boston are excellent piano brands, but those are primarily recognized for their grand pianos.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗽: 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗼 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀

Never buy an acoustic piano without trying it first. We recommend checking out these reputable stores in Columbus, Ohio:

Graves Piano Co. 

located at 5798 Karl Rd, Columbus, OH 43229.

Solich Piano Columbus 

located at 4194 Easton Gateway Dr, Columbus, OH 43219.

Kawai Piano Gallery of Ohio 

located at 1540 Polaris Pkwy # 104, Columbus, OH 43240.

𝗣𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗼 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗻: 𝗔 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝘁-𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁

Once you've found a piano that meets your criteria, we strongly recommend hiring a piano technician to inspect it. This will ensure there are no major issues and identify any minor repairs that may be needed. To find a Registered Piano Technician near you can check their 'Find a Technician' tool on their website.

𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝘃𝘀. 𝗣𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗼 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲: 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗕𝘂𝘆?

Facebook Marketplace is flooded with pianos for sale, but we do not recommend buying from there. It’s generally better to buy from a reputable piano store rather than an individual seller. Stores inspect and service their pianos, offer warranties, and provide after-sale support (like a free tuning session), which individual sellers typically do not. You’ll also find a wider selection at a store. If you buy from a private seller, you'll need to arrange for professional piano movers, which should be included as part of your budget.

𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲: 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗥𝘂𝘀𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀

Buying a good piano takes time. It involves surveying the market, trying out different options, and waiting patiently until you find one that meets all your criteria. It took me almost a year to find my second grand piano, but it was worth the wait. Pianos are typically slow-moving products, so don’t worry about a good one being snatched away before you make a decision.

𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗣𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗼 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴!