Many smart shoppers realize that buying a “used” or “preowned” Steinway piano, especially the popular Steinway Model B is the way to go. While new Steinway pianos are fantastic (of course), you pay quite a premium for a new Steinway piano vs. a new or preowned one. That’s one reason why we came up with the concept of “premium” preowned Steinways. These are Steinway pianos that are rigorously inspected and tested by our experts, who really know Steinway pianos and can evaluate both the condition and the authenticity of any piano. One of the common questions we get from folks looking to buy a piano is “What are the Steinway years to avoid?” Let’s look at this in a different way than it is commonly answered.
Yes, we could give you an answer saying “such-and-such” year was a bad year for Steinway; as if, buying a Steinway piano was like buying grapes or wine in California. There are good years and there are bad years. But that’s not how we look at this problem. What you’re really asking is what is a good Steinway to purchase and what is a not so good Steinway, what’s a fair price for such-and-such Steinway model and what’s not a fair price. Or, help me to find the best piano value for my needs. So we don’t recommend a facile interpretation of the question, “What are the Steinway Years to Avoid?” Rather, we look at your quest to find the best Steinway piano as a series of steps.
First, you have to realize that you either don’t have the budget or your smart enough to realize that used or pre-owned Steinway pianos may be a better value for your money. You’ve looked at new Steinways and you’ve decided to at least investigate the used Steinway route, especially for the popular Steinway Model B’s. Second, you then need to evaluate what kind of piano player are you or the person for whom you are purchasing the piano. Are you a casual player? Are you an avid learner? Are you taking your piano skills to the next level, or just content to play for enjoyment? Or, perhaps you are a professional or semi-professional pianist. Maestro Bruno can work with you to figure out what “type” of piano player you are, and thus what “type” of Steinway piano will work best for you – i.e., which years to avoid. Next, you go on the hunt for your best Steinway piano. Maestro Bruno can help you every step of the way. He really knows the market, and he and his staff know how to evaluate Steinway pianos for quality. That’s why there isn’t a facile rule of such-and-such year is terrible, and such-and-such year is always fantastic. Each and every used piano needs to be evaluated. Finally, having an inventory of known pianos and an understanding of what type of pianist you are, Maestro Bruno can give you recommendations on the price to be paid vs. the value of each available piano. He knows where to look across the globe and can find your best piano.
In summary, finding the years to avoid isn’t the right way to ask this question. Knowing what type of pianist you are vs. your budget vs. the available inventory of used pianos IS the way to ask (and answer) the common question – “What Steinway Years to Avoid?”
