[TonnyTessa]

My grandmother's old piano might be emigrating to NZ as well, so a few questions:

Has anyone ever shipped a piano over?
Did it survive the journey reasonably well?
Any idea about the cost (the rest of me is here already!)?
What does it cost to tune a piano?
What do piano lessons cost?

[Kanga]

We brought ours over- you can either just stick it in the container with the rest of your stuff or get them to pack it into a custom piano case and then put it in the container. Depends upon the value (sentimental or otherwise) of the piano I suppose. Ours just went in the container and arrived fine- didn't even need tuning, which floored the piano playing unpacker! Either way, if you're bringing a container anyway the cost is negligible in the scheme of things.

Funny really because it has made a few domestic moves in the UK and needed repairs after and the move NZ-Oz has finished the poor thing off. It's no longer viable to mend it (dropped- AGAIN!- it's lost the castors to add to all its other woes) and is on ebay. Quite sad really because we hung onto it as dh and his siblings learned on it and we planned our kids to but they seem more 1 instrument kids (or their parents are too slack) so just play violin.

If I had my time again I'd have sold it in the UK and bought a decent 'piano key' keyboard, not least of all because having endured 7 years of violin practice so far I'd love an instrument they could learn on that could have headphones :exit

[Kanga]

Sorry- just reread and I assume you're wanting to ship *just* the piano?

[Moorf]

What type is it - is it wooden frame or iron? Upright or grand?

The most important consideration when moving a piano is not just it's fragility but also the effect of humidity - particularly in wooden frame ones. Speak to a professional about the conditions your piano has been kept in and the conditions it's destined for, i.e. cold/dry to damp/humid and try to use a professional piano mover.

We didn't bring one in the end, but we ended up going for a walk one day when we lived in Chch and pushing one back that we bought for about $20 from outside a house! :D

[GreenMeansGo]

funny, OH and I were just talking about this the other day. We were given a piano a few years ago, upright 1922 model, and would like to take it. Don't know if we'll be bringing enough for a container (unlikely) or just groupage or ?? So not sure if it's worth it to take. Also, since it's an older model, it does have ivory keys- isn't that against regulations? or is the ivory restriction just on art objects, etc? half of the keys are cracked/broken and need replacing anyway, but don't know how likely that is to happen anytime soon.

hey Moorf, want $25 for the piano?? :laugh

[Moorf]

Awww, sorry, we gave the piano away to friends when we moved house! Friend's son learning to play so it's nice it found a good home :nice1

Re ivory, I think restrictions work on the age of it? Can't be sure, but that's what I picked up from Antiques Roadshow :o

[Sam B]

We shipped over a 100 year old Bechstein iron framed upright piano with ivory keys. There was no problem with the ivory. The piano was very carefully packed but not crated, and put in the container with the rest of our stuff. It arrived safe and sound and did not need tuning. It is still fine.

[Arwen]

My grandmother's old piano might be emigrating to NZ as well, so a few questions:

Has anyone ever shipped a piano over?
Did it survive the journey reasonably well?
Any idea about the cost (the rest of me is here already!)?
What does it cost to tune a piano?
What do piano lessons cost?


Hi there TonyTessa.

Can't help answer any of the piano shipping questions I'm afraid, as I bought a second hand piano here in NZ (through trade me, some great piano's on there).

Can answer the piano tuning and lesson questions though.

Piano tuning cost approximately $100.

Lessons cost me approximately $190 per term. (Excluding any music I need to purchase).

Hope this helps. :nice1

[JandM]

I'm reading 'did not need tuning' in several places... If you value your piano more than just as a piece of furniture, tuning ought to be kept up and done about every six months (minimum).

A piano that is just standing still will probably have had some slippage (and so have had its pitch lower itself) in that time. This usually happens more to the notes in the middle of the keyboard that are most used, than to the ones at the outer ends, so the whole instrument won't be in tune with itself. Even if the piano is very little used, over time its pitch will go down, so whatever note you play will sound maybe one or two tones lower than it should - although a tune may sound all right when the piano is played on its own, this matters if you're ever going to want to use it with other instruments, and for training learners' ears. Also, if it's left a long time slacker than it should be, it can be very difficult for a tuner to get it back to proper pitch, and it's more likely strings will break when s/he tries (and they're expensive to replace).

[JandM]

Lessons cost me approximately $190 per term.A term of how many lessons, Arwen?

[Arwen]

This term is $190 for 10 weeks worth, and I go once a week, so that's 10 lessons.

Fairly reasonable I think. :nice1

[JandM]

Good for you! I was trying to get a handle on what the going rate might be over there at the moment, and of course, it will all be relative to local earnings and costs, too. Are your lessons 30 minutes?

I remember a while back, people were discussing what they paid their cleaners, and what they paid for private tuition, and it was fairly similar in some cases, which surprised me - but then, it all depends on how much certain skills are valued where you are, I suppose.

[Arwen]

Are your lessons 30 minutes?

Yep they are 30 minutes long JandM, but she sometimes goes over a little if we're in the middle of something.



I remember a while back, people were discussing what they paid their cleaners

Do you mean people here in NZ JandM. I don't know anyone who employs a cleaner........apart from Peter Jackson maybe (who I don't know personally, but assume doesn't have to clean up after himself)!! :D

[Sam B]

Yes JandM, we get ours tuned regularly, I just meant that it didn't arrive sounding hideous like I thought it would. Thanks for the advice though.

[JandM]

Do you mean people here in NZ JandM. I don't know anyone who employs a cleaner........apart from Peter Jackson maybe (who I don't know personally, but assume doesn't have to clean up after himself)!! Yes, in NZ - it was a discussion here on this site. I had a quick search, but due to the frequency of the word 'cleaner' - you know, in NZ the streets are cleaner, the beaches are cleaner, barefoot children's feet aren't cleaner, stuff in containers cleaned with Jeyes' fluid is cleaner - I haven't managed to raise the old thread!:laugh

[JandM]

Yes JandM, we get ours tuned regularly, I just meant that it didn't arrive sounding hideous like I thought it would. Thanks for the advice though.Didn't mean to preach. It's sad, though, to see a piano that's been 'let go' beyond saving.

[Sam B]

I know lots of people who have cleaners here! And they're not even a tiny bit as rich as Peter Jackson, just busy working...

[JandM]

So do you know how much a cleaner would earn there now?

[Sam B]

well we pay ours (blush) $15 an hour. I do work very hard (honestly) and I still do lots of cleaning myself Arwen.....

[Arwen]

Sam, you're exempt hun, you're building a house!!!!! :nice1:D

[TonnyTessa]

It looks like my friends cleaner will soon be MY cleaner too. Apperently it costs $20 per hour. Well worth it, I have miles of hallways that I am too lazy to clean!

PS my mum got a quote for shipping the piano over: 2500 euro!!!!!!! Now ifit was my other Gran's piano, it would be worth it, but for this one, guess it can stay where it is :) Back to playing the flute, or may be take up singing. Anyone know an afforable singing teacher in Chch?

[JandM]

Fair does, Sam. Me, too - I'd rather have someone else do what I don't like, than have it stop me from doing a) stuff I prefer, and/or b) stuff people will pay me more for than I have to pay them.

Thanks for the info. So, NOT at the same rate as Arwen's piano teacher, then, unlike the others I was remembering.;)

[Kanga]

BTW I was being a bit flippant when I said it was still in tune- it sounded it to me but my partner is a musician with perfect pitch and said it was less than a quarter tone out. Nothing to worry about for children playing on it and tinkering though. We generally get it tuned yearly, but never straight after moving it; let it acclimatise to humidity and temperature for a few weeks first :)