A Steinway grand piano is one of the largest single purchases most musicians will ever make and one of the few instruments where the price is genuinely justified by what it delivers. That is not a marketing statement — it is the consistent experience of pianists, recording engineers, and technicians who have worked with both Steinway and comparable instruments at similar price points. The Steinway sounds different in ways that are immediately audible and the used market makes ownership possible at prices that are significantly below new.
Used Steinway grand pianos appear on Reverb regularly across every model and decade of production. Finding the right one requires understanding what the models mean, what the decades of production produced, and what to look for when buying an instrument of this value used.
Steinway Grand Piano Models — Size Changes Everything
Steinway currently offers six grand piano models, ranging from the 5'1" Model S to the 8'11¾" Model D. The size of a grand piano directly affects its tone — longer strings produce richer overtones and more complex sound. Here is what each model actually is:
What Size Steinway Do You Actually Need?
Steinway makes several grand sizes. The right one depends on the room and how the instrument will be used. Bigger is not automatically better in a home.
Smallest practical home grand:
Steinway Model S (5'1")
Best for: Living rooms and smaller music rooms where a larger grand would be impractical
Typical used price: $20,000–$45,000
See used Steinway Model S →Most popular serious home size:
Steinway Model M (5'7")
Best for: Serious home pianists who want more depth and sustain than the Model S while still fitting most music rooms
Typical used price: $25,000–$55,000
See used Steinway Model M →Larger living-room / salon size:
Steinway Model O (5'10¾")
Best for: Homes that can handle a bit more scale and tonal depth than the Model M
Typical used price: varies by era and condition
Browse used Steinway Model O →Salon / serious home or studio:
Steinway Model A (6'2")
Best for: Serious homes, studios, or smaller performance spaces that want more projection without moving to a full Model B
Typical used price: varies by era and condition
See used Steinway Model A →Professional home or studio standard:
Steinway Model B (6'10½")
Best for: Players who want full Steinway scale and dynamic range in a dedicated music room or studio
Typical used price: $40,000–$90,000
See used Steinway Model B →Concert instrument (not a home piano):
Steinway Model D (8'11¾")
Best for: Concert halls, universities, and professional recording studios — not typical private homes
Typical used price: $60,000–$150,000+
Browse used Steinway Model D →Choose the smallest size that gives you the tone and projection you actually need in the room you have. A well-maintained smaller Steinway in the right space usually sounds better than an oversized instrument that is cramped or under-played.
Buying a Steinway Grand Piano in Southern California (Orange County & Santa Ana)
Southern California, and Orange County in particular, has a strong market for used Steinway grand pianos. Homes in Santa Ana, Irvine, Newport Beach, Anaheim Hills, and surrounding cities often have the space and climate control that these instruments need, which is why well-maintained examples regularly appear for sale in the region.
Because of the concentration of serious musicians, recording studios, and higher-income households, Orange County tends to offer more inspected, climate-controlled instruments than many other parts of the country. That can make the search easier, but it also means prices reflect the local demand.
Quick Local Guidance
Best practical home sizes in Orange County: Model S, Model M, or Model O
Where to look first: Reverb listings with local pickup in Santa Ana, Irvine, and surrounding cities + reputable local technicians
Investment reality: A well-chosen, well-maintained Steinway holds value better than almost any other musical instrument
From an investment standpoint, a carefully selected used Steinway is one of the few instruments that can reasonably be expected to retain a significant portion of its value over decades when it is properly maintained. New Steinways depreciate the moment they leave the showroom. A strong used example from the right era, with service records and a clean inspection, often represents better long-term value than buying new.
In the Orange County and Santa Ana market, prioritize instruments that have lived in climate-controlled homes. Southern California’s temperature swings and occasional Santa Ana wind conditions make humidity and temperature stability more important than in milder climates. Always have a qualified local technician inspect any piano before purchase — the cost of the inspection is small compared to the price of the instrument.
If you are buying as both a player and an investor, focus on:
- Clear ownership and service history
- A model size that fits your actual room (Model M and Model O are the most practical for many Orange County homes)
- Recent regulation and voicing by a competent technician
- Avoiding heavily modified or poorly rebuilt instruments
A Steinway that meets those criteria in the Southern California market is more than a musical instrument — it is a durable asset that can be enjoyed for decades and still hold meaningful resale value when the time comes to move it on.
Steinway Production Eras — Which Decade to Buy
Steinway has been manufacturing pianos in New York since 1853 and in Hamburg since 1880. The production era matters for both quality and value.
Pre-1960 Steinways — The Vintage Era
Steinways built before 1960 used older scale designs and construction methods that some technicians and pianists prefer. The action feel is different from modern instruments and the tone has a specific character that players describe as darker and more complex. These instruments require careful evaluation because their age means more potential maintenance issues — restringing, action regulation, and soundboard condition are all critical to assess.
1960 to 1985 — The CBS Era
CBS acquired Steinway in 1972 and the production during the CBS ownership period — roughly 1972 to 1985 — is considered by some technicians to be more variable in quality than pre-CBS or post-CBS production. This does not mean these pianos are bad — many excellent instruments were produced during this period — but it means individual evaluation matters more than era alone.
1985 to Present — Modern Steinway
After Steinway was returned to private ownership in 1985 production quality stabilized and the instruments from this era forward are considered consistently excellent. A well-maintained modern Steinway from the 1990s or 2000s represents strong value on the used market — it has already taken significant depreciation from new prices while retaining the full Steinway construction quality.
Rebuilt vs Original — What Rebuilding Actually Means
A rebuilt Steinway has had major components replaced or restored — typically new strings, new hammers, new action parts, and soundboard repair or replacement. A well-rebuilt vintage Steinway can play and sound as good as a new instrument at a fraction of the cost. A poorly rebuilt Steinway has been worked on by someone without the skill or materials to do it correctly and may sound worse than it would have before the rebuild.
Always ask specifically who rebuilt the piano, when the work was done, and what components were replaced. A rebuild by a Steinway-certified technician using Steinway parts is a genuinely different thing from a rebuild by a local piano technician using aftermarket parts.
What to Do Before Buying Any Used Steinway
Hire an independent piano technician to inspect the instrument before you buy. This is non-negotiable for a purchase of this magnitude. A qualified technician evaluates the soundboard condition, the string condition and tuning stability, the action regulation, the hammer condition, the pinblock integrity, and the structural condition of the case and frame. An inspection typically costs $150 to $300 and can save you from a $40,000 mistake.
Play the instrument yourself at the dynamic range you actually use. Pianos that sound acceptable at moderate volume can have serious regulation issues that only reveal themselves when played softly or at full concert dynamic. The voicing — the tonal character of the hammers — should be consistent across the entire keyboard without dramatic changes in brightness or color between registers.
Find used Steinway grand pianos on Reverb — filter by model, era, and condition, and always arrange an in-person inspection with a qualified technician before committing to any purchase at this price level. More Like This
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