Selecting a Piano for Your Home

Some people purchase a piano to enhance the decor of their home much like purchasing an elegant piece of furniture. A piano can make a home come alive with it's beauty and be the true focus of the room. You may prefer a certain color such as ebony, mahogany, rosewood, teak, cherry, walnut or white. You may also like a high polish, french polish, satin or stain luster finish depending upon your taste. But the single most important factor in selecting your piano is the size of the room where the piano will be placed. The larger the piano, the better it will sound. If you have the room for a grand piano you will be very pleased with the overall sound.



Imagine if you can obtain the piano of your dreams...We can help make that dream come true. Craftsman Piano is part of a nationwide network of piano retailers and wholesalers. Whatever type or style of piano that you desire we can help you locate it.

Piano Plate Welding Demonstration at Craftsman Piano in Yonkers, NY

Master piano plate welder, Victor Apuango, demostrates his craft as Joe Hanerfeld, of Craftsman Piano, speaks about plate welding at his Yonkers, NY piano showroom.

We use the world's finest parts which are used in the best pianos such as the Hamburg Steinways, Bosendorfers and Mason & Hamlins, with all of our piano restorations. Our technicians take pride in paying attention to every detail and are truly dedicated to doing the job as if it were their own piano. The piano restoration process takes approximately 12-16 weeks from the time your piano is picked up, and we guarantee our grand pianos for five years on all parts and labor and three years for uprights.

PianoDisc Digital Player Piano Demonstration at Craftsman Piano

Joe Hanerfeld of Craftsman Piano speaks about the new PianoDisc digital player piano system at his Yonkers, NY piano showroom.

These pianos are often used in private homes for parties, and for people that enjoy the sound of a piano playing in their home, but don't know how to play one themselves. You can also find these pianos in hotels, restaurants, movie theaters and a host of other places bringing the joy of live music to anyone who hears them.

The catalog of music available for these pianos will please music lovers who appreciate all styles of music from classical to country, jazz, latin, sacred, ragtime, christmas, adult contemporary and more.

Piano Restoration Experts – Going About Finding The Perfect One

Do you have an old, dirty, broken piano sitting in your front room? Are you thinking about purchasing a used piano that needs some TLC? If so, you are soon going to be in the market for accompany specializing in piano restoration. Finding the right company for the job can be a bit intimidating. After all you want a restoration house that will do your piano justice. Here is how to go about separating the piano restoration experts men from the boys.

1. Spend the time to get a tour of the prospective restoration shop.

2. If you like what you see ask for references.

3. Compare the quality of the restorations of the various restoration shops.

4. Compare the pricelists of the various shops.

5. Visit the shop with a qualified piano technician for an expert opinion on the quality of the restorations relative to the price.

When you have completed these steps you should have necessary information to make a decision. Remember that the least expensive option is frequently not the best option. Once you have hired expert help, in the form of a piano tech, it is usually best to actually follow their advice. Best of luck to you and your piano.

Craftsman Piano: Steinway M Grand Piano

Steinway M with very refined action and voicing. Powerful for an M, but responsive.

This piano has been refinished, and rebuilt with a new action. Everything has been done to make this a fine instrument in every way.

You can see more images and get more information at our website.

A Tale of Two Pianos

On my inventory list I have two pianos that are difficult to classify. They are both Mason and Hamlin BB’s. This means that they are seven ft. grand pianos. This is not what makes them unusual. Most of the time my company works to restore pianos. We take a piano which has deteriorated through time, and restore it to it’s original condition. This does not apply to these two BB’s. These pianos were manufactured by Mason and Hamlin in the 1980’s. However, they were never assembled. They sat neglected in a warehouse for years. Then several years ago two of these manufactured pianos came to my shop to be assembled. The job was not easy. The process of assembling these pianos was far more difficult than restoring a typical Mason BB. However, the results justified all the hard work. These pianos are gorgeous. They are every bit as fine a piano as if Mason and Hamlin assembled them in their factory. But, how should I classify these pianos? They have not been restored, but calling them new implies a connection with the Mason and Hamlin Company that doesn’t exist. How about saying that they were manufactured by Mason and Hamlin, but assembled by Craftsman Piano Co. That is an accurate description, and an excellent combination.

These pianos are located at the warehouse/showroom/workshop of Craftsman Piano Co. 578 Nepperhan Ave., Yonkers, NY.

www.craftsmanpiano.net

jspha440@aol.com


914-476-6704

Baldwin Acrosonic Spinet for sale at Craftsman Piano

Baldwin Acrosonic Spinet

$1,500

Year: 1960’s
Size: 42 in.
Color: Walnut
Finish: Satin
Action Parts: Original
Sound Board: Original

Description: This is a reliable good sounding, reconditioned, beginner student piano. It is small and would fit very nicely in a typical living room. This piano is a great value.

Located at 578 Nepperhan Ave. in Yonkers, NY Craftsman Piano Co. is a full service piano restoration and sales facility. We use only the finest materials, and we pride ourselves on doing concert quality work. This is an invitation to come and see our work shop and our pianos. You will find superb quality, and very competitive prices. A list of our inventory, pictures, descriptions, and videos, can be seen on our web site, www.craftsmanpiano.net .

Our services include: Tuning, new key tops, action repairs, refinishing, sales, new soundboard, new pin blocks, rebuilding, and complete restoration.

Piano plate welding at Craftsman Piano, Yonkers NY

Master piano plate welder, Victor Apuango, demostrates his craft as Joe Hanerfeld, of Craftsman Piano, speaks about plate welding at his Yonkers, NY piano showroom.

PianoDisc Player Demonstration at Craftsman Piano

Buying a Used Piano and the Prices You Should Expect to Pay

The first step in buying a used piano is determining your budget. Here is a detailed explanation what you can expect at the different price points.

1. Under $500.00: You will have to do your own research. You will need some luck to find anything usable. Do yourself a huge favor and have the piano checked by a qualified piano technician before you pay for it, or have it moved to your house. If you do not you may find yourself in the unenviable situation of having to pay to have the piano junked.

2. Under $1,000.00: Same as above, but taking twice the financial risk.

3. Under $1,500.00: For this price you can, with luck, find a reconditioned spinet or console from a dealer. The dealer is likely to have taken the piano in on trade. A piano like this will be reconditioned. This means the piano has been cleaned inside and out, and the action has been given a once over to make sure the piano will play reliably. The case will be polished. Some kind of warranty will be given. At this price point you should expect that the piano plays properly and holds a tuning. However, it would be unrealistic to expect a great sounding, musically inspiring piano. The piano will almost certainly be at least forty years old

4. Under $2,000.00: Same as above, but with a more attractive cabinet. At this price point you would expect the piano to be at least thirty years old.

5. Under $3,000.00: Now you are getting to the point where you can expect to get a decent musical instrument. At this price point you should be able to find a console or studio upright that has a good musical sound, and a solid touch to the action. The best examples of pianos in this price range are Yamaha, Kawai, Young Chang, Sammick, and Sohmer. Yamaha would be the best in this category. You should be looking at pianos no older than the mid-1970s for Yamaha, and no older than the mid-1980s for the others.

6. $3,500.00- $4,500.00: This is a realistic price range at which you can find a piano that an advanced student can use to grow his pianistic abilities. The best pianos to get in this price range are Yamaha and Kawai 48 in. to 52 in. upright pianos. These are the instruments that you find in the practice rooms of universities and music schools. At the low end of the price range you find older pianos. I can’t recommend any piano older than 1975. There is also a nice subcategory in this price range. Charles Walter and Sons make a very high quality console. This is the best made American upright other than Steinway. The case of these pianos is beautifully made. The voice of the piano can be made satisfactory by an expert technician.

7. $4,500.00- $5,500.00: The same as above, but the pianos should be from the 90’s. There are models of Yamaha that have posts in the back in the shape of an X instead of vertical parallel posts. These pianos have a superior design. I have included them in this category because they have a potential for a warmer, richer sound. In my opinion this is as much as anyone would need to spend for a used upright piano.

8. Rule #1: If your budget is lower than $7,500.00 do not even look at grand pianos. Unless you are very lucky you are likely to wind up with a piano that would require unrealistically expensive repairs. Here is a common example. John Doe purchases a Knabe grand piano for $500.00. He is all excited because his child will begin lessons and needs a piano on which to practice. He spends a further $300.00 to get the piano moved to his house. Even though John does not know much about pianos he knows that it is out of tune. He calls a tuner and finds out that the piano will not hold a tune because the pin block is too loose. He finds that the pin block cannot be replaced unless the piano is rebuilt. The repair bill is $6,000.00 to replace the pin block, replace the strings, the dampers, and tune the piano up to pitch and get the action to work properly. John has just wasted $800.00 on a piano that is unusable unless he spends an extra $6,000.00. John will likely be spending another $300.00 to have the piano removed.

9. $7,500- $10,000.00: You are in a good place with lots of possibilities. In this price range you should be able to purchase a small Korean or Japanese piano from a dealer. Common brands in this price and size range are Yamaha, Young Chang, Kawai, Boston, and Sammick. You can go as old as 1975 for a Yamaha grand in this price range, and for the other brands you should go no older than 1985.

10. $10,000.00 -$15,000.00: In this price range you should expect to find very good quality Yamaha and Kawai grand pianos up to 6 ft. 5 in. Good models are Yamaha G2, G3, C1, C2, C3, C5, and Kawai KG2, KG3, KG5, RX2, RX3.

Also in this category you will find rebuilt and refinished grand pianos from reputable piano rebuilders. These pianos will also have rebuilt actions. Typical brands are Chickering, Knabe, Baldwin, Broadwood, Sohmer, and many lesser known, but equally good brands. At this price range you should expect five-year warranties to be included in the price of the piano.

11. $15,000.00 -$20,000.00: You are now in reconditioned Steinway and Mason and Hamlin country. This is ”no country for old men”. You will be paying a lot of money for a piano THAT WILL EVENTUALLY NEED TO BE RESTORED. The price of restoration for a Steinway M (5 ft. 7 in.) is $20,000.00. The price of restoration for a Steinway D (concert grand) is $30,000.00. In my opinion, which is supported by thirty years of experience, it is more economical and satisfying to take the next step and get a fully refinished, rebuilt or restored piano.

12. $20,000.00 and up. Here are realistic prices for the different models of rebuilt and refinished or restored Steinway and Mason and Hamlin pianos:
Steinway S typically rebuilt and refinished with new action $23,000-$25,000
Mason T typically rebuilt and refinished with new action $19,000.00 -$23,000
Steinway M rebuilt and refinished with new action $25,000- $30,000
Mason A with new restored with new sound board and new action $25,000.00-$30,000.00
Steinway O restored $32,000.00-$38,000.00
Steinway A restored $35,000.00-$50,000.00
Mason AA restored $35,000.00
Steinway B restored $45,000.00- $70,000.00
Mason BB restored $45,000.00- $50,000.00
Steinway C restored $55,000-$85,000.00
Steinway D restored $65,000.00-$150,000.00
Mason CC $55,000.00- $65,000.00

Rule #2: Unless you are buying a piano from a well know piano restoration house that is giving you a five-year warranty you need a piano professional to look at the piano for you.

Rule #3: A GOOD UPRIGHT IS A MUCH BETTER PIANO THAN A CRUMMY GRAND PIANO…AND MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE.

Do not develop “analysis paralysis” or you will be looking for the perfect piano forever. Stick to your budget, buy from a reputable dealer who gives a warranty, and have a piano professional validate your choice. I have been doing this for thirty years. How hard can it be?

Good luck finding a piano!

Joe Hanerfeld,
Craftsman Piano Co.

Craftsman Piano Company of Yonkers to participate in 2010 YOHO Arts Festival

Joe Hanerfeld, of Craftsman Piano Co., in Yonkers, NY has announced that his company will participate in the annual YO HO Artist Exhibit, in Yonkers, NY. The dates are Sat. and Sun. Apr. 18. There will be art and pianos, food and entertainment. In the past these events have been a big success with a good time had by all. 12:00 to 5:00 PM.

Every spring, the OPEN STUDIOS gives the public an opportunity to actually see where the art is made. Art enthusiasts and their families are encouraged to attend. In the studios’ relaxed atmosphere, the public will have a chance to discover that art is much more accessible than they thought. They will be able to interact with the artists and familiarize themselves with their creative process, materials and the varied range of works. Visitors may purchase artwork directly from the artists without entering the sometimes intimidating setting of commercial galleries, even though the artists are gallery-affiliated, have been exhibited internationally and are part of many collections in the United States and abroad.

In the last decades, the scarcity of affordable studio space has driven artists from SoHo and Chelsea. Yonkers, which is experiencing a Renaissance, is home to a thriving artist community. YOHO Artist Studios is the largest professional art community in the area.

The reality of investing in a vintage, restored Steinway piano

So you are looking to purchase a fine piano which is also a great investment. Let's look at what a competently restored vintage Steinway is. It is a piano that is beautiful to look at, and a dream to play. It is also a commodity which has had a history of holding it's value. Let's define value. The first definition is that the piano can provide years of playing and listening satisfaction. That is the main reason to buy a piano. The second definition of value is that the piano will not depreciate in price as quickly as many other commodities. In my experience vintage, restored Steinway pianos hold their monetary value better than any other investment in the piano world.

Another great investment in the piano world is vintage restored Mason and Hamlin pianos. For decades there has been an argument over which piano is better, Steinway or Mason and Hamlin. In my opinion this is like comparing apples and oranges. The two brands have different qualities in sound and touch. From a quality of construction standpoint the pianos are different but equally well constructed. From a pianistic point of view I would have to say"de gustibus". One thing is very clear, in my shop: Steinway pianos are easier to sell.

Another class of good investments in the piano world are the Yamaha, Kawai, and Boston pianos. These pianos are much less expensive and are valuable as good sounding, reliable work horses if a Steinway or Mason and Hamlin piano is not for you. These brands are a fine investment in the satisfaction of owning a really good instrument.

Finally, almost any brand of piano can have value as a source of satisfaction. It doesn't have to be a an expensive or famous brand. What is important is the pleasure you get out of playing or listening to the piano. For this reason it is important to get confirmation from a competent piano professional that your piano purchase will perform reliably. Good luck, and choose wisely.

Joe Hanerfeld,

Craftsman Piano Co.