buying piano

To get an idea on what kind of piano to buy you would do well to read "The Piano Book" by Larry Fine. After you have decided on what piano to buy, first play it, then tell the dealer what changes you want to have done before buying. Unfortunately, dealer Piano Preparation is not the norm for new pianos being sold. Affordable pianos needing the most service are sold as is. If your new piano has ringing dampers, uneven keys an uneven hammer line, sticking or bobbling keys, then the dealer should be responsible for this initial service. If it is a used piano sold either privately or at a dealer, you should have it thoroughly evaluated by a competant piano technician. As a piano can be the most expensive household item you own, don't be penny-wise pound foolish in having it improperly evaluated.

Piano that have cracks in the soundboard can be shimmed if there is enough crown in the board. If the pins are 2/0 or smaller, you could get by with one or 2 sizes larger pin and restringing. If the pinblock has larger than 2/0 pins and the individual unisons sound like chords, that is an indication that it would need a replacement pinblock. It should be replaced when servicing the soundboard and restringing.
I would highly recommend Craftsman Piano here in Phoenix for proper piano restoration.

Voicing options, either making the individual notes sound more even and shrill or mellow can be done at the piano's final destination, Making the touch lighter and can be done by reducing the action friction or altering the hammer weight. This is part of the regulation skills the technician should have. I service the Phoenix area and within 100 miles although further destinations have to be coordinated with other customers.

Pianos can be turned into digital player pianos without too much alteration. Good piano candidates should preferably be new or newly rebuilt. QRS Pianomation and PianoDisc are the two retrofit sytems currently available. Yamaha Disklavier is pre-installed at the factory on new Yamaha pianos.
Of course if you are planning on having a player piano many prefer original pneumatic players which you might want to investigate with player-care.