FAQ During a Customer Visit

This article is an quick-reference of questions frequently asked during a customer visit.

Before you arrive

Do I need an appointment?

Ideally, yes. Booking means we know you are coming and can have the right pianos ready.

Popping in is fine too. There are usually staff on site who can help, though most of them do not play.

I have turned up without an appointment. Can I still come in?

Yes. If someone is already in the upright showroom, you will need to wait in the grand room until they have finished. The same applies the other way round.

Where do I park?

Park in front of the warehouse doors or the roller shutters. If you block a staff car in, that is fine, we will move it.

If the car park is full, use the church car park opposite. Not on Wednesdays.

Is there a bus stop nearby?

The 409 stops right outside and runs between Ashton and Rochdale. For Manchester, walk into Royton centre and pick up a bus from there.

How long should I allow?

An hour suits most people. Stay all day if you want to.

Can I bring my children?

Yes. Bring colouring books or something to keep them busy. Most children start to get bored after about twenty minutes.

Can I bring my dog?

Yes, as long as it does not chew piano legs.

Can I bring my piano teacher or my own technician?

Please do. We would rather you brought someone who knows what they are looking at.

Is there a toilet, and can I get a coffee?

Yes to both.

Is the showroom accessible if I use a wheelchair?

Yes. We open the roller shutters and there is ramp access to every area.

One honest warning. The toilet doorway is narrow and there is not room to take a wheelchair in.

Playing the pianos

Can I play anything in the room?

Play any piano that is for sale. Sold pianos have a cover on them so they cannot be played.

Can I play the ones marked sold or reserved?

No. Those are paid for and they belong to somebody else now.

How long can I sit and play for?

As long as you like, provided nobody else is booked in after you.

Will someone stay with me?

That is up to you. Oliver or Julie will be around to answer questions, and we are happy to leave you alone if you would rather play in peace.

Can I film myself playing?

Yes. Put it on social media if you want to.

Are the pianos tuned and ready?

Most are. Now and then a few are waiting for a tuning, and we will tell you which.

Can I try a silent system?

Usually, yes. Ask when you arrive and we will find one for you.

Choosing a piano

What is the difference between a U1 and a U3?

The U3 is the bigger instrument. It has longer keys and a larger action, which gives you more control over touch. It has longer strings and a bigger soundboard, which gives you a fuller tone.

It is also slightly taller, wider and deeper.

How old are these pianos?

Most are between ten and fifty years old.

Why is that one more expensive when they look the same?

Age and model. Two pianos in the same cabinet can be twenty years apart.

Can you show me the serial number?

Yes, and it takes ten seconds. Lift the top lid and the number is there. You can look it up online while you are standing next to it and get the year of manufacture.

Where have these pianos come from?

Japan. We ask our supplier there to send us pianos that have come out of homes rather than music schools.

You can also check it for yourself. Look at the hammers. A piano that has been hammered daily in a practice room wears the felt down at the striking point, so the hammers look thin and grooved at the front. Ours have plenty of felt and a rounded shape. Ask us to open one up and have a look.

We cannot trace the history of every individual piano and we will not pretend otherwise. The hammers tell you more than any paperwork would.

Can I see the workshop?

Yes. Ask for a tour and we will show you round.

I like one that is still in the workshop. Can I hear it?

Usually we can bring it through to somewhere you can play it properly. Ask.

There is a mark on the case. Will that be sorted?

Point it out and we will look at it with you. Our cabinet team fixes most marks before delivery, and we will tell you on the day if one is going to stay.

Can I choose a different finish or a different stool?

The colour and finish cannot be changed.

Every piano comes with one standard black adjustable stool, which matches our pianos. They are almost all black.

Do you have anything else coming in?

New stock lands every few weeks. Some of it is listed in advance at markgoodwinpianos.co.uk/pianos/all/soon

What reconditioned means here

What do you actually do to these pianos?

We replace the internal action felts where they need replacing, clean the instrument properly, then regulate and voice it back to showroom condition.

Which parts get changed?

On older pianos, typically 1970s and 1980s, we would normally expect to replace:

• Loop cords
• Bridle tapes
• Key bushings, where worn
• Front and balance rail punchings
• Damper felts
• Backcheck felts
• Hammer butt felts
• Hammer rest rail felt
• Muffler felt, also called the practice pedal felt
• Pedal and trapwork felts

What about newer pianos?

Pianos made from the 1990s onwards do not always need the full list. We judge those one at a time and only replace what has worn.

Can you show me these felts?

Yes. We will take the front off and go through it with you.

Can you fit a silent system?

Yes, to any of our Yamaha pianos. It is £1,990 on top of the piano price and we fit the AdSilent 2 system. It takes about two days and you keep your practice pedal.

Price and paying

Is that the final price?

Prices are fixed.

There is modest discretion if you have found the same make and model, professionally reconditioned, with the same things included. Bring us the details and we will look at it.

What is included?

• Free UK ground floor delivery
• Free first tuning
• A free matching adjustable stool
• Lifetime warranty
• 14 day free returns, with free collection and no fees
• Full credit towards an upgrade within five years

Is VAT included?

Yes, on every piano.

Pianos we import from Japan carry VAT at 20% and you get a VAT breakdown on the invoice.

Pianos we buy here in the UK also have VAT included in the price, but there is no VAT breakdown on those and you cannot reclaim the VAT even if your business is VAT registered. If that matters to you, tell us before you buy and we will point you at the right stock.

How do I pay?

Bank transfer is best. We can also email you a card payment link.

How does the 0% finance work?

You pay a 10% deposit, then the balance over eighteen equal monthly payments. There is no interest.

It runs through the Take it Away scheme, which is supported by Arts Council England. You need to have lived in the UK for three years, and the scheme covers purchases up to £25,000.

Can I apply for finance while I am here?

The application normally happens by email, which most people find easier at home. We can start it in the showroom if you would rather.

Can I reserve one?

Yes, and we do not ask for a deposit.

We will hold it for you until the Friday night, then it goes back on sale on the Saturday morning if we have not heard from you.

Do you take deposits?

No. There is nothing to lose if you change your mind.

The 10% on the finance agreement is a different thing. That goes to the finance provider, not to us.

Do you take my old piano in part exchange?

We pay £500 for any acoustic piano, as long as it is not overdamped or straight strung.

Overdamped means the dampers sit above the hammers, usually behind a metal frame. Straight strung means the strings run in parallel rather than crossing over. Both designs are old and we cannot resell them. Send us a photo of the inside and we will tell you which yours is.

You cannot use the part exchange offer on a piano that is already in a sale or a promotion, and it does not stack with another discount.

Do you take digital pianos?

Yes. We pay £300 for any digital piano with 88 weighted keys in full working order.

Delivery and access

How soon can I have it?

Order one week, delivered the following week is the usual pattern.

Can I delay delivery?

Yes. We will store it for you, short term or long term, and we do not charge for storage.

We do ask for the piano to be paid in full within seven days of ordering.

Is delivery free?

Ground floor delivery anywhere in mainland UK is free.

What if it has to go upstairs?

We have sent a lot of pianos upstairs and it is usually possible.

Stairs start at £120 plus VAT for the first flight. More flights cost more.

We price each job from photos, so send us three:

• The area around the bottom step
• Halfway up the stairs
• The area around the top step

Can you tell me the stairs price today?

Not on the day, and we would rather quote properly than guess. Send the photos and we will come back with a firm price.

How do I know it will fit through my door?

Measure the doorway. The measurement that matters is the depth of the piano, front to back, because it goes through on its side.

• Yamaha U1: about 61cm deep
• Yamaha U3: about 65cm deep

A standard UK internal door is around 76cm wide, so both go through comfortably. Tight corners and narrow hallways matter more than the door itself, so tell us about those.

Who measures, you or me?

You do. Take the measurements before you order and send them over if you have any doubt.

I am in a flat with a lift. Is that a problem?

Send us the lift dimensions. The floor needs to be 65cm wide and 122cm long to take a U1, or 132cm long for a U3.

Can I collect it myself?

You can, but we do not recommend it. Pianos are heavy, awkward and easy to damage. It happens very rarely.

Can you take our old piano to a friend or a neighbour?

Yes. Put the address on the order form or email it to us. The movers will quote for the extra job. You can pay them in cash on the day, or we will invoice you or your contact separately.

How much notice do I get?

The movers contact you with a date and a rough time slot. They ring again on the day with a tighter arrival time.

Can you deliver on a Saturday?

Not as a rule. Ask and we will see what we can do, though it costs extra.

After it arrives

When is the first tuning?

About six weeks after delivery, once the piano has settled into your house. It is free.

Book it at mgps.uk/tuning or email us.

What does tuning cost after that?

Tuners typically charge £80 to £90, and around £100 in London. That is their fee, not ours.

Most pianos want tuning once or twice a year, depending on how much you play and how stable the room is.

What does the lifetime warranty cover?

It covers much the same ground as the warranty Yamaha gives on a brand new piano. Structural problems, manufacturing defects and poor workmanship, the sort of faults that were already there when the piano was built.

We pay for labour, materials, and collection and return delivery. Whether we repair or replace is our decision.

What does it not cover?

• Tuning, regulation, voicing, squeaks and buzzes
• Normal wear, and parts that wear out, such as strings, felts, tapes and key tops
• Damage from misuse, poor handling, poor care or bad storage
• Accidents, spilt liquid and fire
• Damage from a poor environment, including conservatories, garages, sheds and unheated or unventilated rooms
• Work done by you or by an unqualified technician
• Silent systems, unless your invoice says otherwise

The warranty applies in the UK and Ireland. Take the piano abroad and it ends.

It stays with you rather than the piano. If you sell the piano or give it away, the warranty does not go with it.

Your statutory rights are separate and are not affected.

What if I do not get on with it?

Send it back within 14 days. We collect it free, refund you in full, and charge nothing for the privilege.

Can I upgrade later?

Yes. Within five years we give you full credit for what you paid, against a better piano.

You pay the difference in price, plus the collection and delivery for the swap, currently £320 plus VAT.

Who do I contact if something goes wrong?

Email hello@markgoodwinpianos.co.uk and we will pick it up from there.

The awkward questions

How do I know this has not been flood damaged or badly repaired?

Bring your own technician or your piano teacher and have them inspect it. We would rather you did.

If you would like to see inside, ask and we will take the piano apart in front of you.

Is a reconditioned Japanese piano really better than a new one for the same money?

For the money, our view is yes. A reconditioned U1 or U3 will out-play a brand new B10 at a similar price. The older Japanese-built instruments have larger actions, longer strings and better materials than the entry level pianos being built today.

That is our professional opinion rather than a fact, and we would rather you tested it yourself. Play both and see what you think.