10 things to check before buying a second-hand piano in Singapore — with red flags to watch for
Buying a second-hand piano in Singapore is risky without an inspection. Singapore's humidity causes specific types of damage that are expensive to fix but not obvious to a non-specialist. A pre-purchase piano inspection (S$80) by a qualified technician is the most important thing you can do before committing. This checklist covers what to look for yourself — and what to escalate to a professional.
Press every key from bottom to top. Every note should produce a clear sound. Silent keys, buzzing keys, or keys that do not return indicate action problems. Note down every problem key.
Press each key slowly and release. A key that sticks down has swollen bushings — caused by humidity. 1–2 sticky keys is a minor issue. A piano with many sticky keys has had sustained humidity exposure, which may indicate more serious internal damage.
Open the top lid and look at the soundboard (the large wooden panel beneath the strings). Hairline cracks are common in old pianos and not necessarily fatal. Wide cracks, collapsed areas, or visibly separated bridge seams are more serious and expensive to address.
Look at the treble strings. They should be shiny silver steel. Orange or brown discolouration indicates rust. Look at the bass strings — the copper winding should be smooth and tightly wound. If the winding is separating from the core or visibly corroded, bass strings need replacement.
Ask the seller when the piano was last tuned. If recently tuned, check whether it is still in tune — a piano that cannot hold a tuning within weeks has either a loose pinblock or structural issues. If it has not been tuned in years, a pitch raise will be needed (S$170–S$240 extra cost to factor in).
Press each pedal. The sustain (right) pedal should lift all dampers. The soft (left) pedal should change tone quality. On an upright, the middle pedal is typically a practice pedal (mute). All should engage smoothly without excessive play or noise.
Play a chromatic scale across the full range. The tone should be consistent — even brightness and sustain from bass through treble. Very bright, harsh notes in the treble indicate worn hammers. A dull, muffled bass register indicates corroded bass strings. Wide variation in tone character across the keyboard indicates uneven hammer wear.
Look at the white key surfaces. Chipped, cracked, or yellowed plastic tops are cosmetic issues. Warped or lifted keytops indicate moisture exposure. Original ivory keytops (found on older instruments) may be yellowed — this is normal and not damaging.
Look for signs of serious moisture damage — swollen veneers peeling off, deep water stains inside, cabinet warping. Minor cosmetic wear is normal for a used piano. Structural cabinet damage can indicate the piano was stored in a very humid environment.
The most important question: was the piano in an air-conditioned room? A Yamaha U3 stored in a non-air-conditioned Singapore environment for 20 years has likely sustained cumulative humidity damage. The same piano stored in air conditioning is in far better condition. Storage history is the single biggest predictor of a used piano's condition in Singapore.
Pre-purchase piano inspection S$80. We attend the seller's location anywhere in Singapore. We give you a full written condition report and repair cost estimate.
S$80 inspection. Attend at seller's location. Full condition report. All Singapore areas covered.