SHOULD YOU TAKE A FREE PIANO?
Last updated: January, 2026
Many free pianos end up costing far more than people expect. Between professional moving, tuning, repairs, and long-term maintenance, a “free” piano can easily turn into a costly mistake.
As a piano technician with over 19 years of experience, I’ve seen countless situations where a piano was given away not because it was valuable, but because it was expensive to move, difficult to sell, or no longer worth repairing.
That doesn’t mean every free piano is a bad idea. Some are absolutely worth taking — but only if you know what to look for before you commit.
HOW TO EVALUATE IF FREE PIANOS ARE WORTH IT
Below, I’ll explain the real costs behind free pianos and walk you through the key factors that determine whether a free piano is actually worth taking. These are the same criteria I use professionally when evaluating whether a piano is worth moving, repairing, or passing on entirely
- Age of the piano
- Obvious wear signs
- Age of the home the piano is located in and whether its insulated well
- Brand of piano
- Internal piano wear
- Any available piano history in terms of where its been stored or located
In addition to these factors I will give you a percentage estimation of how likely it is for a piano to be “worth it” based solely on its age. The 5 remaining factors should be considered as you visit the piano for assessment
There are a couple of caveats to consider. If the piano is a Steinway, Knabe, Chickering, Baldwin, Mason & Hamlin, Boesendorfer, or any other handmade older grand piano it will likely be worth investing into even if it has some issues. But if someone is going to give you a piano like that, consider yourself very fortunate. This post is geared toward older free upright pianos and older free grand pianos that aren’t well known branded instruments.
My Free Piano Just Needs Tuning, Right?
Every few weeks, a client hires me to tune a piano they received for free, hoping a single tuning will bring it back into good working order. Sometimes that’s possible. Other times, it’s physically impossible to achieve an acceptable result with tuning alone.
To be clear, piano tuning only adjusts the pitch of the strings. It does not involve replacing worn parts, repairing internal damage, or correcting mechanical issues. Those services fall under piano regulation or restoration and may require significantly more work — sometimes even a shop visit.
When deciding whether a free piano is worth keeping, the most important factor is whether the combined cost of moving and repairs exceeds the piano’s value. In many cases, that threshold is crossed quickly.
You may decide that paying to move and tune a piano is worth it to you personally — even if that cost exceeds its market value. But investing thousands of dollars into a piano that requires tens of thousands in restoration work simply doesn’t make sense for most people.
What Service Does My Free Piano Need?
That depends entirely on the condition of the instrument. Some free pianos only need one or two tunings and basic cleaning to be enjoyable in a home. Others may require $1,000 to $2,000 in repairs just to achieve basic functionality — and even then, some will never perform particularly well.
A helpful way to think about this is with a car analogy. Imagine inheriting a vintage car that’s been sitting in a barn for decades on flat tires. You wouldn’t expect to install a new set of tires and suddenly have a reliable, road-ready vehicle.
The same logic applies to pianos. Internal parts may be seized or worn, regulation may be required, and lubrication alone may not restore proper function. How much work a piano needs depends on its age, how it was stored, whether its components are intact, and the overall quality of the manufacturer.
In some cases, an older piano may require days of work just to become playable. Bringing it into excellent condition can take weeks or months. This doesn’t automatically make it a bad piano — but it does change the financial equation.
If you believe the instrument is valuable and you’re willing to invest accordingly, a free piano can sometimes be worth it. But if your goal was a low-cost or low-commitment instrument, it’s important to recognize when repair and moving costs are likely to exceed what the piano can realistically return in performance or value.
Based on Age Alone: Will my free piano will be worth it?
Newer than 30 years: Greater than 90% chance its worth it
Between 30 – 50 years old: Around a 70% chance its worth it
Between 50 – 80 years old: A 50% chance its worth it
80 years old and older: Less than 20% chance its worth it
How do I Evaluate a Free Piano?
- Find out if the brand was reputable. Was it a beginner piano, intermediate piano, or high quality hand made piano?
- Look for obvious wear signs on the outside of the instrument. Generally speaking, if it looks like it’s been neglected it probably has been. Look at the bottom of grand pianos, and the back of upright pianos to check for any wood separations or cracks.
- When you visit the piano take notice of the environment. Is the piano located near a drafty window, is there an heating/AC duct blowing on it? What kind of environment has the piano been kept in?
- For upright pianos, open the top and look down at the action parts. Disassemble the cabinet to the degree to which you are comfortable and know how to, and view the internals. If there are parts missing or broken, strings missing, lots of string replacements (new strings will be shinier than the surrounding strings) that’s something to consider. For grands, you likely won’t be able to view the action parts, but you can remove the music rack and look down through the strings to see if the hammers have deep string cuts in them. Look at the damper felts to see if they look worn and discolored. Look at the strings for replacements.
- Ask the piano owner if they know where the piano came from before they bought it. Has it ever been stored, and if so where?
FINAL THOUGHTS
There is a lot to consider when being gifted a free piano so I wouldn’t just jump in before you’ve done your due diligence. I hope this information helps you asses the piano you are being given so you don’t end with something you are unhappy with. If you find the piano you are considering falls between some of the criteria and you can’t easily tell if it’s worth it, Bradfield Piano offers an in home evaluation service. Our piano technicians will assess the above criteria plus other technical details. Call or text 214-883-1885 to set up an evaluation service in the DFW area. Contact Bradfield Piano
written by Holt Deniger
We Offer The Following Services:
If you’ve decided a free piano is worth keeping, we can help at any stage — from evaluation and moving to tuning, repair, or full restoration.
