Your "free" piano can cost you $800!
It's a sad story I've heard too often: "I loved the way it looked. The moving company charged us a few hundred because it was so heavy. When we paid the piano tuner to tune it, he looked it over and said it would need a thousand dollars of work. Eventually we had to pay someone to haul it to the junkyard and pay per pound to have it disposed."
With an inspection by a trained professional, you can ensure this sad story does not become yours.
Bridge pins, delamination, and other things you've never heard of
It is a rare person who knows how to "get under the hood" of a piano. I'd venture to guess that you're not quite sure how to check bridge pins or for soundboard delamination, mostly because you didn't know you were supposed to. But there are some things that can wreck what would have been a good piano, and there are other things that aren't a huge deal. Some things are expensive to fix and others are not. By having a knowledgeable person check it over, you can have confidence in your purchase.
The best piano inspector
The best person to look over a piano is qualified piano technician. Not only will a piano tech identify piano issues, he can also tell you how much he would charge to correct such issues. Additionally, he will ascertain the finer points of what can be done to make the piano perform and sound its best. I have provided a list of a few recommendations below.
The other option is me. While I am not a piano technician, I also identify existing and potential issues with a piano. I have been trained to find them and have done so on scores of pianos. By adding my inspection service to your move (as a first step), you save a good deal of money and time. Most often, the inspection confirms the piano is well worth moving, and I will give your info about your piano worth more than the 15 dollars I charge for this “add on” service. In the very unlikely event I uncover a major issue, you can be glad you avoided bringing that issue home (you’ll need to compensate me for my drive if your move is cancelled). If you have a piano that has a major issue, consider my removal service.
A few qualified piano repair technicians
Pittsburgh Area Bill Glessner 412-367-3155
Pittsburgh and South Michael Mezhinsky 412-881-0883 pghpianotuning.com
Pittsburgh and West/Beaver Doug Zimmerman 724-846-6680