Annual Supplement to the Piano Book: Buying & Owning a New or Used Piano

This little book is worth it's price many times over for those seriously piano shopping. I learned so much about pianos and brands. I've played a wonderful Kawai upright for 16 years and am ready to purchase a grand. I thought all these brands I'd never heard of before were "no-names", definitely not what I wanted. Well, after a month of research and many trips to piano stores, I am buying one of those no-names! My Estonia 190 (6'3") will be delivered in a week!

This book gives the basics of piano knowledge and should be used before buying a piano.

This book is meant to be a supplement to Larry Fine's other book, "The Piano Book." It contains up-to-date information about expected price ranges for all models and all sizes of all brands of pianos (both grands and uprights). It's very, very helpful and can help you negotiate a price with a pushy salesman. I would recommend that you purchase this book along with the most recent edition for the most complete information, but this supplement alone could still be helpful.

I read this book before my very first piano purchase, and the information Mr. Fine shared in the chapters "Buying a New/Used Piano" was invaluable. I entered the retailer's floor thinking that I would buy a brand new piano but was most impressed by the sound, tone, feel of a 98-year-old vintage German piano. I took The Piano Book with me and read the history of the European manufacturer while trying out many pianos on the floor. I made the purchase after comparing many pianos and saved thousands of dollars because I was prepared to negotiate a fair price based on the 2007-2008 Supplement and The Piano Book. The combination of both books helped me differentiate facts from the retailer's selling points, which is essential when committing to large investments. Being informed also led to more respectful negotiations between the customer and the shop owner. My experience when purchasing pianos, cars, or other big-ticket items is that retailers appreciate it when they perceive a knowledgeable customer, and they do not attempt to take advantage of you as forthrightly.

As a piano tuner, the information contained in Larry Fine's books is invaluable. Definitely something that gets referred to time and time again.