What’s in a name? With used pianos, not much. You can have a shiny Yamaha that looks great but has been mistreated and is ready for a $5,000 rebuild. You can have a lowly 20 year old Samick that is great. Add to the mix the curse of the Grey Market Piano. I could tell you about them, but the folks at the Yamaha site says it all here.
Four Things You Need to Know About Gray Market Pianos
If you buy a used piano from an authorized Yamaha or Kawai dealer (one that has new factory pianos on the floor), you stand a better chance of not ending up with a grey market piano (also called, “Wet Pianos”).
Of course the best way to buy a used piano is to hire a piano technician who knows what to look for. Even a cheap piano is going to cost you 500 to move, and then another 500 to remove it once you learn that it is un-tuneable. A technician, by contrast, usually charges a bit less than the cost of a tuning to inspect the piano before you buy. Wise money spent. Besides, there’s nothing I dislike more than to have to write a death certificate for a newly purchased kijiji special. Just ruins the day.