FAQs
Visiting Our Showroom
Yes. We are located just outside the Central London congestion zone and can offer free parking with advance notice.
Our showroom is close to Regents Park Barracks, on Albany Street, NW1 4BU.
Nearby tube stations include:
- Great Portland Street (Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan)
- Regents Park (Bakerloo)
- Warren Street (Northern, Victoria)
- Euston (Underground & mainline rail)
An appointment is not required, but you are welcome to contact us with any questions before your visit.
Showroom opening hours:
- Monday–Saturday: 09:30–17:30
- Tuesday late opening: until 19:00
Pianos – General
An acoustic piano contains over 6,000 moving parts. Key structural elements include:
- Strings, tuning pins and pin block, which withstand up to 18 tons of string tension and maintain tuning stability
- Soundboard (spruce), the instrument's natural amplifier
- Bridges and selected hardwoods, shaping the colour and balance of the tone
When all components function harmoniously, the result is a responsive, expressive instrument that can perform beautifully for decades.
Grand pianos generally offer:
- Longer strings and larger soundboards → greater tonal richness and volume
- A gravity-based action, which is typically more responsive than the spring mechanism in uprights
- A more elegant aesthetic and higher performance capability
- Higher cost and larger footprint
However, condition, age and quality are far more important than shape.
- • A high-quality upright can easily outperform a small or poorly maintained grand.
- • Older, unrestored grand pianos—especially those purchased privately—may require costly repairs or pose structural risks due to tension and weight.
We often advise choosing a great upright over a mediocre grand, especially smaller "baby" grands (4'6"–5'3").
Traditionally, age, origin and condition were the main factors. Today, the picture is more complex:
Age & Condition
- • Pianos generally do not improve with age like violins; they require periodic maintenance and sometimes restoration.
- • A well-maintained piano can last generations; a neglected one can be a liability.
- • Usage ("mileage") significantly affects condition.
Origin of Manufacture
- • Manufacturing locations have become global and sometimes confusing.
- • Premium brands may produce "second-tier" instruments in Asia.
- • Modern Chinese production includes extremely advanced factories producing high-quality instruments using European components.
Choosing a piano is best done with a technician's expertise—especially with pre-owned instruments where hidden problems are common.
Many beginners consider buying a digital piano. The benefits are clear:
- • Portable
- • Headphone use
- • No tuning or acoustic maintenance
However, two crucial musical factors often lead buyers back to acoustic pianos:
1. Tone
Digital instruments reproduce sound via samples, no matter how advanced the technology. They cannot fully replicate the resonance of a spruce soundboard and vibrating strings.
2. Touch
An acoustic piano action contains over 100 parts per key; even high-end digital actions are far simpler. Many players notice that digitals feel lighter and less responsive.
Longevity matters too:
- • Digital pianos last 10–12 years with regular use
- • A well-maintained acoustic piano can last many decades
That said, a digital piano is often preferable to an old, unstable or problematic acoustic piano, especially for children or those on a tight budget.
Silent and hybrid options:
- • Silent Pianos: Fully acoustic pianos with a switchable digital output for headphone practice
- • TransAcoustic Pianos: Use the acoustic soundboard as a natural speaker for digital sound—ambient, adjustable, and highly expressive
Yes. We offer flexible home rental options for both upright and grand pianos. Renting is an excellent choice if you're just starting out, unsure about long-term commitment, or waiting for the right instrument to become available.
Our rental service includes:
- • A carefully selected, fully serviced acoustic piano
- • Delivery and setup by specialist piano movers
- • Tuning after installation (if required)
- • Flexible rental periods with the option to extend
- • A rent-to-buy scheme, allowing part of your rental payments to be offset against a future purchase
Whether you need a short-term solution or want to experience living with a piano before buying, we're happy to advise on the best instrument for your home.
The most important factor in any piano is consistency.
Buying privately carries significant risks:
- • Around 90% of pianos sold privately or via auction sites are unfit for purpose, despite looking attractive.
- • Older pianos (wooden frames, straight-strung, over-damped actions, candle holders) are rarely suitable for modern homes or players.
- • Many are impossible to maintain and can undermine musical progress—particularly for beginners.
Common issues include:
- • Structural instability
- • Worn actions
- • Inability to hold tuning
- • Hidden mechanical or environmental damage
Markson Pianos offers:
- • A fully equipped on-site workshop
- • Highly experienced in-house tuners and technicians
- • Guaranteed pre-owned pianos, restored and regulated to optimal performance
- • The same assurances and guarantees on pre-owned instruments as on new models
This provides peace of mind and a reliable, enjoyable playing experience from day one.
Tuning
Most pianos benefit from one to two tunings per year, depending on usage and environmental conditions. New or recently restored instruments may require more frequent tunings while they settle.
Yes. Our highly experienced in-house tuners and technicians can service your piano in your home, ensuring optimal tone, pitch stability and playability.
Temperature and humidity changes, frequency of playing, age of the instrument, and overall condition all impact tuning stability. Keeping your piano away from radiators, direct sunlight, and draughts helps maintain its pitch.
Piano Moving
Absolutely. We work with specialist piano movers who are fully trained in transporting uprights, grands, and concert grands safely and efficiently.
Pianos are extremely heavy and contain delicate internal parts. Attempting to move one without professional equipment can lead to personal injury, property damage, or serious harm to the instrument.
Yes. Whether you need a piano moved within your home, up or down stairs, or to a new property, we can arrange the appropriate service with our trusted removal partners.
Piano Restoration
Yes. Our on-site workshop is equipped for everything from minor repairs to full concert-level rebuilds, including action regulation, restringing, soundboard work, and cabinet refinishing.
We offer honest, expert assessments based on the piano's make, condition, age, structural integrity, and musical potential. Not all pianos merit restoration, and we will always advise with transparency.
Absolutely. A well-executed restoration can transform an instrument's responsiveness, tonal richness, and overall performance—often surpassing its original factory condition.