Choosing the right piano is a very personal decision, and we understand that you may have a number of questions along the way. To help, we’ve brought together answers to some of the questions we’re most frequently asked, covering everything from selecting your piano to delivery, care and servicing. If there’s anything we haven’t covered, our experienced team would be delighted to assist you. Simply visit our Contact Us page to speak with a member of the Coach House Pianos team.
All prices include (unless otherwise stated)
— VAT
— Pre-delivery tuning
— Delivery to a ground floor location (mainland UK)
If it is a piano/digital piano that you are purchasing, the delivery time is 10-12 working days from stock – this is often sooner – please contact us for exact delivery times on specific piano products.
If the item can be posted or mailed via carrier then our delivery time is 2-3 working days.
(The above delivery times are for mainland UK deliveries only – for international shipping please contact us)
It is recommended that you should tune your piano twice a year. However, if your piano has extended regular use i.e. piano teacher, then it should be tuned 4 times a year (every quarter).
Find a professional piano tuner near you to arrange your piano tuning – we also have a large database of accredited, qualified piano tuners all over Europe.
The choice is yours. We have listed below just the main features that differ the purchasing of a new piano compared to a used piano.
The advantages of purchasing a new piano are:
– peace of mind with manufacturers warranty
– the action has no wear and so set-up and touch is at factory standard
The advantages of purchasing a used piano are:
– initial depreciation value is already lost, hence saving money
– often pianists prefer a slightly worn in piano and so a modern used piano is preferential
VERDICT: first decide your budget, then look at what new pianos are available in your budget – once you have found a new piano that fits your criteria look for a better model of a piano from the same manufacturer, but in used condition. Often this method will allow you to save yourself a lot of money whilst buying a better piano! We will happily offer you free advice and assist you in your search for a suitable piano – contact one of our advisors on 0208 088 5858 (Monday – Friday, 09:00-17:00)
This is a very commonly asked question and it is important to take great notice of its answer. A digital piano does not replace an acoustic piano – these are in fact two separate instruments, as is a guitar and a violin.
A real piano has metal strings which vibrate when struck by the hammer – the sound produced is amplified by the real wood soundboard which ‘transports’ the sound waves across the ‘board’ creating a full embodied tone. This is different from a digital piano which is reliant on speakers and electronic amplifiers to produce ‘sound’ which compared to a real piano is non-resonant and severely lacks proper sustain.
A real piano also has ‘hammers’ which strike the strings causing them to vibrate as mentioned above – due to this movement a real piano has a very unique, definite touch which cannot be replicated in a digital piano as these do not have hammers that move and contact strings etc.
VERDICT: always buy a real (acoustic piano) over a digital piano. The myth that a digital piano is more compact than a real acoustic piano is not true – if a digital piano has the full size keyboard then it will be the same size as a real piano anyway! A real piano will always be a safer investment as digital pianos are superseded with new models all the time (note the length of time that manufacturers put on digital pianos is much shorter than on their real pianos). Most importantly the overall playing experience is vastly different, so if you are looking to learn the piano then it is imperative you purchase a real piano because of the reasons outlined above.
Downloading our free Piano Buyers Guide will provide more detailed information about this.
