Bought a Piano!

[Hambone]

Boy when I make an impulse purchase, I like to do it thoroughly.

We (the family) were dropping off some old furniture at the Salvation Army the other day and we decided to go in the store to browse. I was very surprised to see that this store was filled with rather decent stuff - a far cry from what I'm used to seeing in thrift stores like the local Goodwills. While I was wandering around, my son found a piano and began to play some short passages. I looked up sort of surprised because, well, I didn't know he could play the piano! Turns out he's been hiding out in his room with a crappy Casio electronic keyboard and has actually put together some basic skills. At any rate, the piano he was playing was an upright grand from Hamilton and was in great shape. It sounded good and looked even better and it came with the bench. Now, buying a piano had NEVER entered my mind but I'm a generous sort of guy and won't ever turn down the opportunity to get some musical gear and the $299 price tag was irresistable so we got it for my son's 17th birthday. I moved it into the house and down the stairs myself and it now resides in our den. Gotta say here I LOVE IT!! Aside from a sort of comfort that having this piece of furniture in the room gives me, it's a blast to have around. I'm beginning to see more of the relationship between the fretboard and the keyboard and how this might really help my technical skills. We are now considering having Brian's uncle come in for dual piano lessons. He's a certified jazz instructor and a hell of a performer and it might be great for both of us. My son is using it in his first band venture and he's making me proud as the utility guy of the group - sax, guitar, piano/keyboards.

I would recommend it to any bassist that wants to expand their world. I wish it didn't take me this long to figure it out.

[Tim Barber]

Plus, you can still play it during power outages

Nice score!

[NJL]

Originally Posted by Hambone

the $299 price tag was irresistable so we got it for my son's 17th birthday.

you a great father!

good job, Ham

[James Hart]

NICE! I bought a cheapy for the wife a couple years back... I enjoy it more then she does 8-)

[Selta]

I can sort of play piano and keyboard. I had lessons on it for about 6 months. I wish I had one here, or never gave up on it. Oh well, I can get back into it, right?


Ray

[DigMe]

I still want Smash's piano.

brad cook

[MJ5150]

way to go dude.....i have been quietly shopping for one for my family as well.......it will thrill my wife to death if i can score one before our anniversary.

-Mike

[Hambone]

Originally Posted by SMASH

Hambone, $299 is a steal for a functional piano. You moved it yourself?

Yup, and I had a stiff back and a deep bruise on my shoulder and in the center of my sternum to show for it.

It didn't look that heavy!

The piano has a little history. It might have been a school piano at some time. On the back, in pencil, someone has written a list of musicals that, apparently, this piano was played in. They number about 10 and start in 1976 and end around 1980. That is backed up by the serial number search which puts the instrument as being made between 1960 and 1980. It's sort of funny but the piano guys don't seem to be concerned with dating anything more precisely than that. I suppose it's because piano's are supposed to last a lifetime.

We've found an old Russian man who's a tuner and is in dire need of work. He's a recent immigrant to this country and will tune pianos for under $100. Using my little digital tuner, it looks like the piano is just about 10 cents flat consistently across the keyboard. I think that's a good sign.