How Much Does A Baby Grand Piano Cost?
At some point or another, every family home has dreamed of having a beautiful grand piano or baby grand piano in their home. But the cost can quickly make those reconsider.
Baby grand pianos are beautiful and take up a little less room than the grand pianos which makes them a perfect fit in your home. Their value is incredible.
On average, a baby grand piano costs $16,000. A low-end Baby Grand Piano cost almost $10,000. On the very high-end you can expect to pay more than $122,000 dollars.
Things like the type of brand, whether it is new or being resold, size, and more, can drive the price up or down. Sales tax is another factor that can tack on thousands of dollars.
Read on to learn about the breakdown of the expenses.
Factors Of Expenses
For the piano to be considered a baby grand piano it needs to run between five and six feet in length. Brand as mentioned takes the cake for how expensive the piano is.
Quickly followed is the condition and used or new factor. There are many more reasons that can quickly drive the price up so let’s get into them.
Brand Recognition
The type of brand you choose for your baby grand piano is going to be the most important factor when it comes to price.
It’s important to get a good quality brand because while it may be more expensive it can save you in the long run from repairs and having to replace your piano sooner than you’d like.
Here are some of the examples of various costs for baby grand pianos
- Fazioli Model F156 – 5’2” – $119,000 – $122,000
- Bliithner Model II – 5’1” – $84,000 – $68,000
- Steinwayi Model S – 5’1” – $71,000 – $76,000
- Kawai Model GX-2BLK – 5’11” – $40,000 – $43,000
- Yamaha Model C1X – 5’3” – $36,000-$39,000
Color
The color of a piano is completely based on the wood finishing of the piano. Certain wood finishes are more expensive to buy than others.
Mahogany, Walnut, or any other specialized finishing is going to be much more expensive than the classic ebony or satin finishes. This is why it is so common to see a black shiny baby grand piano so much because they are much more affordable.
New Or Used
Buying used or new is always a great way to knock the price down a bit. However, it is good to note that even if a particular brand that is known to be expensive, is used, it often still will sell for a pretty penny.
You may in some cases find it less expensive to go with a brand name that is not as popular for a new baby grand piano.
However, if you have a particular affinity for a brand, check out some of the used pianos. They can often be refurbished and spruced up or if kept in good condition, they can last quite some time.
Size
We already know that the baby grand piano will fall between 5’ and 6’ in length. However, they come in several different lengths which cause a pretty decent impact on the price point.
The reason being is because of this you will need more materials to complete the piano. The wood itself will be longer, you will need more strings, and parts to complete it. The size tends to have an effect on sound which may be noticed by a seasoned pro.
Store-Bought or Individual Seller
Buying from a retail seller is always going to be more expensive. Often you may see retailed mark up the MSRP by a lot and then set it to discount to make you think you are getting a good deal.
Individual sellers often will sell at a lower price because they are likely going to make more money selling it themselves than selling it back to a store that will often lowball them. It can be very similar to the way a car sells.
Does The Price Vary From State To State?
The pricepoint state to state really does not vary except for the factors listed above. The only thing that you will notice when buying a piano in California verse New Hampshire is the sales tax.
Because it is such an expensive musical instrument you can end up saving thousands and thousands of dollars based on where you live. For instance, there is no tax in New Hampshire and the sales tax in California is 7.25%.
So if you were buying a baby grand piano worth $120,00 you would pay nothing extra in New Hampshire and you would pay $8,700 more in California.
What Parts of The Baby Grand Piano Are Expensive To Replace?
Restoring a baby grand piano can be just as es expensive as the piano itself in some cases. Certain pianos can be particularly hard to repair like Steinways because of how they are built.
Brand type is something to consider when buying a particular brand. Again, it can be similar to a car where a Toyota may not be particularly expensive to repair because it is American-made.
A Mercedes or Audi on the other hand can be unbelievably expensive to repair because they are cars made internationally and international parts are expensive.
Here is an example service cost breakdown.
Service 1: $20,000
This is the first service level offered. You can count on a restoration of the original specifications by replacing as little as possible.
Any materials that can deteriorate will be replaced such as strings, felts, leathers, etc. Any of the mechanisms that don’t deteriorate can be restored which includes cabinet repair.
Depending on the quality of your keyboard and how much it has taken a beating it can either be restored to play like new or be completely replaced. These are just a few of the many offered restorations in service one.
Service 2: $26,000
This is the second service level offered. Most pianos need service two by the time they come in for restoration. The piano will get a lacquer finish along with any carvings, dings, or chips, to be restored.
Likely the keyboard will also be completely replaced but in the event that you have ivory keys, those will try to be restored rather than replaced.
Actions parts will be replaced and new such as flanges, butts, shanks, and hammers. The soundboard will get regilded and refinished.
If there is any internal artwork or monogramming it will be reconciled and finished to be preserved. All services in service one will be included in service two among many more.
Service 3: $27,000 plus
This is the third service package and is meant for those who have no concern for cost as they want to complete the job to be done and restored to new.
Along with all-new action parts, you can also conclude that you will have a new soundboard and a new pin-block. Full detailed service.
It is meant for pianos that are vintage antiques or a true treasures that should be preserved. Think of it as a collectible and already valued at a very high price.
Related Questions
How Long Do Baby Grand Pianos Last?
The good news is all the investments you make will last for a really long time. On average the baby grand piano will last you between 40 and 60 years depending on how well you take care of it, the brand quality, and how much you play or use the piano gets. Of course, there are instances in which baby grand pianos have lasted close to 100 years but this is because they have been serviced and restored. Likely parts have been replaced.
When Should You Bring Your Baby Grand Piano In For Servicing?
A piano needs to be tuned at least twice a year for proper care but bringing a baby grand piano in for service is a different thing.
While you need to keep up with your own maintenance you won’t have to have your piano fully maintained with one of the big packages listed above for at least two decades.
Likely if you own a quality piano you can wait 50 years or even 100. When the piano starts showing signs of real wear and tear is when you need to bring the piano in.
Make The Right Choice
Baby grand pianos are obviously not cheap which can make the choice particularly hard. Most seasoned pianists will have a really good idea of what type, color, and model baby grand piano they want.
But if you are someone who is on the newer side, renting out/trying out baby grand pianos to see what suits you may be your best option.
If you are very unaware of your style and preferences it is never a bad idea to go with high-quality affordable options. Even those priced in the $20,000-$30,000 range can offer a lot.
