Buying a Used Bechstein
A used Bechstein can be a wonderful buy, and the name covers everything from a hand-built German grand to a cheaper factory piano, so it pays to know what you are looking at. We are Yamaha specialists, not a Bechstein dealer, so this is honest guidance rather than a pitch.
First, which Bechstein is it?
Check whether it is a full “C. Bechstein”, hand-built in Germany, or one of the cheaper W. Hoffmann or Bechstein Academy lines built partly abroad. Both can be good, but they are very different pianos at very different prices. The label and the paperwork will tell you.
What sets the value
- Condition. The soundboard, action, tuning stability and case all count, and matter more than age.
- Rebuilt or original, and with what parts. A quality rebuild adds value; a cheap one does not. Ask what was done.
- Which line and which era. A pre-war German grand and a modern Academy upright are worlds apart.
Always have it checked
Before buying any used Bechstein at real money, pay an independent technician to look it over. A photo will not show a tired action or a replaced soundboard.