Quick answer
Do not agree to buy or move a used piano until you know whether it can hold pitch, whether the action responds evenly, and whether moisture, rust or structural damage has changed the instrument. A clean cabinet is encouraging, but it is not evidence that the piano is mechanically healthy.
I begin with the parts that can turn a low purchase price into an expensive mistake: tuning-pin stability, string condition, bridge and soundboard clues, hammer wear, key response and the room where the piano has been kept. The inspection should happen before the moving appointment whenever possible.
What I check before discussing the move
I play every note slowly and then with different levels of force. Keys should return consistently, hammers should not block against the strings, and pedals should operate without grinding, excessive lost motion or loud mechanical noise. I also listen for a pitch pattern. A piano that is uniformly low may simply have gone too long between tunings; isolated notes that fall quickly can suggest a more local stability problem.
Inside the piano, hammer grooves show how much and how unevenly the instrument has been played. Deep grooves do not automatically make a piano worthless, but they affect tone and can indicate that reshaping, voicing or replacement should be included in the budget. Missing action parts, improvised repairs and mismatched replacement strings deserve a closer look.
Major red flags
- A mildew smell, water line, swollen wood or evidence that the piano lived in a damp basement, garage or unheated space.
- Deep rust on strings, tuning pins or plate hardware. Surface discoloration and active corrosion are not the same thing.
- Several tuning pins that move too easily or notes that will not remain stable during a careful test.
- Bridge cracks running through the bridge-pin area, loose bridge pins, persistent buzzing or visibly displaced strings.
- Many slow, dead or uneven keys, especially when the problem crosses several sections of the keyboard.
- Hammer felt worn close to the wooden moulding, broken shanks, missing dampers or repeated makeshift repairs.
- A seller who will not allow the piano to be opened, played fully or inspected before pickup.
Calculate the real cost before saying yes
A free piano is not free after professional moving, stairs, difficult access, tuning and repairs are included. Compare the total expected cost with the condition and musical usefulness of the instrument, not with the seller's asking price alone. A well-maintained mid-market upright can be a better purchase than a prestigious name that has been neglected for decades.
Send the model, serial number, clear interior photos, pickup and delivery access, and any known service history before committing. For a serious purchase, an in-person inspection is the clearest way to separate cosmetic wear from structural or mechanical risk. Our Toronto used piano buying guide explains the broader decision, while the used Yamaha and Kawai inspection note shows how condition can matter more than the badge.
When I would walk away
I would pause a purchase when the piano cannot demonstrate stable pitch, has extensive corrosion or water damage, has widespread action failure, or requires structural work that the buyer did not budget for. I would also walk away when access makes the move unusually difficult and the instrument itself has little musical value.
Not every old piano is bad, and not every crack is fatal. The point is to identify the expensive risks before the piano is in your home. Inspection first, moving plan second, tuning and repair plan third.