Pianos are generally sold by small independent retailers. No piano store is any better than its ability to obtain high-quality products and service them. Generally, smaller, community minded dealers will be able to give you more value and service after the sale. You also have a better opportunity to work directly with the owner. Smaller dealers are typically family run businesses, with employees who are loyal and committed to the long term success of the business. They will go “the extra mile” to insure that you are happy with their service and your piano long after the sale. Look for a dedicated piano store staffed by people who know and love pianos.

Pianos are generally sold by commissioned salespeople, which is not a bad thing. Many of the best salespeople genuinely care about their clients and have been through the process of helping with the selection of a piano hundreds or thousands of times. A sincere piano salesperson will want to spend 5-10 minutes asking questions about how and where you plan to use the instrument before they start making recommendations. Beware of fast talkers who are mainly interested in talking about a particular product. If there are fifty pianos in a store, probably only one or two of them are just right for you.

Many tuners actively sell pianos. Most are reputable, but be suspicious of tuners who sell a lot of pianos. While tuners may be knowledgeable about the technical aspects of pianos, most are not reliable sources of information on the value. In general, you are much better off buying a piano from a dealer.