Family Piano Co is about to turn 15 years old this November and a lot of things have changed since we opened our first location in Downtown Waukegan.
For example, before she opened the store, Alice Alviani used to fix-up and sell pianos out of her house in Waukegan, IL – mostly modest 1960s or 1970s upright pianos, usually with a traditional brown walnut finish, that she would regularly and lovingly refer to as her “little brown piano puppies.” She would sell these starter pianos for $2,500 to $3,500 or even more. They were so popular and sold so well, she decided to open a store! These were our bread-and-butter for years and years for families with beginning and intermediate-level players.
Fast forward 15 years and now, our $2500-$3500 uprights are lower mileage, newer (usually built in the 1990s or 2000s), and with shiny black or mahogany finishes, built in more modern factories (typically Asian), that feature high-precision manufacturing equipment. We’re offering higher-quality pianos at this price-point than we ever had, something we’re very proud of!
Meanwhile, due to shifting public demand, we have too many of these “piano puppies” here that need to go to good homes. These older upright pianos, typically American-built with traditional brown walnut finishes, have a very classic look to them and a sound that Asian-built pianos don’t typically have, due to differences in materials and construction. We really like these pianos, because each instrument has a little more unique character, both in terms of the furniture element and the musicality of the sound. We put a lot of work into each one of them, to make them the best they can be and we put a strong warranty on each one, to really stand behind our work. (In fact, during COVID, we didn’t cut anyone’s hours, which is why we have so many of them all fixed up and ready to go!)
While we think they’re really worth $2500+ each, over time, we’ve been slowly and reluctantly lowering our prices on these to under $1999 each, sometimes all the way down to $1399 for more cosmetically challenged instruments.
September is not only when all of our kids go back to school, but it’s also National Piano Month. As part of our mission to get people really excited about learning piano, we’re proud to announce that ANY ACOUSTIC PIANO UNDER $2000 IS NOW ONLY $999.
Regardless of size, year of manufacture, cosmetic condition, sound characteristics, brand, or anything else, these pianos are all an unprecedented $999 (plus tax and delivery). It’s kind of a crazy experiment for us, but seriously — all these pianos are one flat price, so with monetary considerations out of the way, all you have to do is pick your favorite “piano puppy!”
While some of these pianos may LOOK like instruments being given away by your cousin’s ex-girlfriend’s 4th-grade teacher, all of OUR pianos have gone through our thorough 30-point refurbishment checklist, so everything is very clean, back to factory spec and the best it can be, with no surprise repair bills. We have written extensively about our concerns with free pianos off of Craigslist, etc.
- the wood & felt machinery is thoroughly cleaned, lubricated & regulated to play as precisely and consistently as possible, which is important for proper technique. We see kids quit piano all the time because they get frustrated trying to play on a wonky, inconsistent barely playable instrument.
- We also refurbish the case, the furniture element, to make it look as good as practical in your home. After all, you’ll be looking at it every day! We want your whole family to be PROUD piano owners.
- We’ll tune it prior to delivery and you get a discount on ALL piano tunings from us FOR LIFE.
- The piano is guaranteed to not have any critical structural issues with it that will lead to serious problems in the future.
- Every dime you invest in purchasing this instrument can be applied towards trading up in the future (minus moving fees). You can start with something comfortable for your wallet now and then get something more exciting later – WITHOUT losing your initial investment or having repair expenses.
- You shop at a legit, top-rated piano store, check out dozens of pianos side-by-side, pick the brains of an experienced piano professional, all in a properly climate-controlled commercial building.
- In terms of payment, we offer low-APR financing, accept all major credit cards and now even accept crypto-currency!
For each piano that we sell, we include a LOT to add value, much of which adds up to a fair amount for us. So to bring the price down to $999 for these pianos, we had to trim a couple things from our usual offerings.
- The piano will be fully prepped and fully tuned prior to delivery. That being said, we are NOT including a free in-home piano tuning at this price.
- The piano will come with a 90-day warranty – any problem, we come out to your house and fix it at no charge. This is shorter than our standard 3 or 5 year warranty, but once again, you’re protected from any major issues and any little annoyances from things possibly shifting during delivery.
- The bench is included in the price.
- Delivery on all of our pianos is separate. We use Kevin’s Piano Moving (they’re awesome) and the standard price for local deliveries is $250 for uprights; more for distance and stairs.
- 100% Trade-Up – you get all $999 back when you trade in your piano any time within 2 years. The time frame here is shorter than our usual 6+ years only due to this unprecedented low price.
- Group Adult Piano Classes – we offer a 10-week course (1 hour per week) that normally sells for $149 per person. TWO people get free tuition (rather than our standard offering for 4 people), offer expires in 2 years.
- Rent-to-own will reflect our standard purchase price, NOT this promotional purchase price.
While we’re happy to sell to your purely over email / phone / social media, we recommend coming in to check out the pianos yourself, probably for an hour or two. We’re open 7 days per week, from 12:00 to 6:00 pm every day. You don’t need to set an appointment, but it is handy to call ahead so we can make sure we can give you the attention that you deserve.
Please note that all pianos are first-come, first-served. To best serve ALL of our customers, we cannot hold any pianos at this price-point; they will remain on the market until paid in full. For best possible selection, we recommend coming in sooner, rather than later. This clearance sale will end once National Piano Month is over on September 30th.
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