Looking to buy a piano

[Lauren]

I suggest getting a second hand good brand piano.
I'm currently looking at a guitar which is a second hand "Classic" brand, and it is on sale for $25.....if they were first hand they are usually $150.
It is best to get second hand...although it may not be new, it is still as good as the new ones because the second hand pianos are broken in and easier to tune....believe me I know....I have been what you are going through many times before.

[AliCat]

I've played piano for nearly 20 years and never noticed which brand I've played on (and no, I'm not tone-deaf -- actually closer to perfect pitch). I agree with what some folks have said above about the electronic pianos -- they are absolutely not the same as a real piano, and will not give as good an experience for learning on. I've generally preferred uprights for space-saving reasons as well as tone, and I've gotten excellent deals buying them used out of the newspaper/people's homes. Got a sixty-year-old player piano (mechanism removed previously) for $300 (sold before moving to England), and a 90-year-old piano for less than $500 in Memphis. The former had nice tone and just a nicer setup; my current one has keys that occasionally stick and one note that needs retuning, but these are easy fixes, and I'm not presently playing often enough to warrant it.

If you are looking at a piano as an investment with resale value, fine, then look for something in the $3000 range, but I don't know that it will keep its value in a home without good climate control, if you are in the tropics, never mind any other wear-and-tear that kids put on it.

If you are looking for something to PLAY with, and especially if your daughter is the only one in the house who will be doing so, I sure wouldn't spend more than $500 (and you won't find this kind of deal in a store). The advantage of a store is that they often have their own movers who will move it for you (for a price); alternatively, just look in the phone book and get professional piano movers to do it for about $75.

I'd also suggest looking into the alternative materials as suggested in a post above, for something that will withstand your conditions better. You are less likely to find something used. But one other advantage I can think of is that it might be a bit more "portable". Some of the older ones can be VERY heavy.