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[Dave R.]

About 2 years ago my wife and I bought a used spinet piano for our granddaughter to learn on. She was doing very nicely then her interests turned and now she no longer uses it. Well we are going to be moving to another state and our daughter's house where the piano is, is going to move also this summer. I've posted ads to try and sell it cheap but no one seems interested. Can't even give it away to second hand stores, charities and we have even asked local piano teachers to offer it for free to their students parents. Just wondering if anyone here has gone through this drill before and have any suggestions on what I could do. I may end up having to start swinging a sledge hammer if I can't find it a new home. I thought about getting it tuned up and made into perfect working order but hate to throw good money after bad if nobody will take it.

[ylr]

I see ads in Craigslist all the time of people trying to give their pianos away. In the age of electronic keyboards, there's not much demand for pianos anymore. I wish you luck,  but you might have to warm up your sledgehammer.  Oh, and if you do have to tear it down, not sure how tightly wound those strings are inside, so watch out, in case they pop, and fly out.

[Dave R.]

I see ads in Craigslist all the time of people trying to give their pianos away. In the age of electronic keyboards, there's not much demand for pianos anymore. I wish you luck,  but you might have to warm up your sledgehammer.  Oh, and if you do have to tear it down, not sure how tightly wound those strings are inside, so watch out, in case they pop, and fly out.

Good point. I'll hand the sledge hammer over to my son in law. He is younger and would heal quicker.

[dk117]

Dave, where are you located?   Here in the PNW there are moving companies who will come to your home, take the piano off your hands and pay you about a third of what it's worth.  We've done that twice now and still have an unused piano in the house.

DK

PS same here, daughters got bored with the piano, interests led elsewhere and that's ok. 

[Mudflap]

You could put it up for adoption.

https://pianoadoption.com/

Mudflap

[Dave R.]

Dave, where are you located?   Here in the PNW there are moving companies who will come to your home, take the piano off your hands and pay you about a third of what it's worth.  We've done that twice now and still have an unused piano in the house.

DK

PS same here, daughters got bored with the piano, interests led elsewhere and that's ok.

We are located between Saint Helens and Scappoose justNorth of Portland a ways off HWY 30. If you have a contact for doing that I would really appreciate the information. I assume you are talking about movers for residences ETC and not piano movers. Is that correct. An answer to our prayers could be in the making. Thanks

[GatorDave]

Have you tried some of the public schools?  I'm guessing there has to be a music program in one of them that would take it.

[Dave R.]

Have you tried some of the public schools?  I'm guessing there has to be a music program in one of them that would take it.

We had not thought of that but will check into it. Thanks for the suggestion.

[dk117]

I'm just north of you in the Couve.   I think we used Portland Piano Company both times.   You can google them for their consignment or selling opportunities.  I'll check with the wife as it might have been a different company.  We got a few hundred $$ out of old pianos.  I'm sure they made 3x that when they went to sell and they did all the moving. 

DK

[Dave R.]

I'm just north of you in the Couve.   I think we used Portland Piano Company both times.   You can google them for their consignment or selling opportunities.  I'll check with the wife as it might have been a different company.  We got a few hundred $$ out of old pianos.  I'm sure they made 3x that when they went to sell and they did all the moving. 

DK

You da man. Thanks neighbor. I really appreciate the assist. We will contact the few piano retailers in the area and see what they have to say. At this point I'd be happy to just give it to them provided they do the moving and handling. Very timely as we are told we will be getting an offer on our home this weekend and will be moving soon assuming that offer meets our needs. Thanks again to you and everyone else who chimed in with suggestions.

[wilpark]

We've been trying to give our upright away and its nearly impossible.  Cost of moving a piano is expensive and dropping one is far more expensive.  Just be patient and someone may come and pick it up.

[Dave R.]

We've been trying to give our upright away and its nearly impossible.  Cost of moving a piano is expensive and dropping one is far more expensive.  Just be patient and someone may come and pick it up.

I generally would be more patient but since we are moving (sold House Yesterday) and our daughter is moving, I feel pressured to get this gone. I tried calling a couple piano retailers yesterday but need to call back on Monday to speak to the right person. Fingers crossed.

[jdmessner]

My daughter has been playing the piano for a number of years. One of her early music teachers was really discouraged about the number of old and well crafted pianos that were being scrapped and dumped. There just is not a market for them. He came up with a creative idea. He gutted the inside of pianos and made the most beautiful desks out of them. They sold quite well! He also took the string board from the inside of a piano and mounted it on the wall of his studio, so kids could pluck, play and learn. It was a cool way of recycling!

[Canadian John]

 That's a good idea.... There is a lot of high quality wood in those old pianos that could have many uses.

[pagesk]

I tried for months to give ours away, I even offered to deliver it.  Finally someone took it.  With our climate here in the PNW, it seemed never to be in tune.  We bought a Yamaha electric piano.  Good thing is it only weighs 150 lbs.  The kids can play with headphones and the older one is getting into composing and the Yamaha can feed Garage Bank on her Mac.