One of the most common questions people ask us is about purchasing a piano for the very first time when you have a small child ready to take piano lessons. Since no one else in the home plays, and the parents aren’t sure if the child will really enjoy the piano, can they buy the least expensive piano they can find to “test the waters” before moving up and investing in something of better quality?

The short answer to this question is no. Buying a piano should never be about price alone. You should never buy the least expensive piano you can find just for the sake of getting a piano. Instead, you should focus on getting the best possible piano you can at the price you are willing to spend.

Here’s why.

When you focus in on price, you’ll wind up purchasing a piano that may be anything but musically inclined. Let’s say you purchase a piano off of Craigslist. Its been sitting in storage for several decades until the family clears out the home to sell it. They sell the piano for “nothing” because they are simply trying to get rid of it and make a little money in the process. It hasn’t been played or tuned in years. And it may or may not be in need of serious repair.

When your child sits down to play, she starts out playing a few notes and simple songs. But as she taps out the tune, it doesn’t make sense. What she hears at her piano teacher’s place isn’t what she hears on her own piano. The notes are off and don’t create the same musicality she hears on one that was well taken care of. She doesn’t “get” the song or understand the tune because it simply isn’t there.

Her frustration grows. She fights about practicing. And the entire concept is dropped as she moves into some other activity in her life.

If you’ve ever heard a musician play slightly out of tune, you understand how detrimental it can be.

In order to appreciate music, you have to be able to hear the tune, no matter how simple your beginning songs may be.

Which is why purchasing the best instrument you can afford, and making sure it’s the best quality it can be, is vital to starting and continuing to play the piano.

If you get the best instrument you can afford, you won’t be sorry. Your child will appreciate the sound she is making and hearing, and possibly continue down the path of playing for a much longer period of time. And because a high quality piano holds its value as well, if you do choose to sell it in the future, you will be glad you made the sound decision of purchasing a high quality instrument.