Baldwin Acrosonic Piano Value – Assessing a Piano’s Worth

Finding a quality vintage Baldwin piano isn’t easy, so it’s not surprising to know that accurately evaluating the Baldwin Acrosonic piano value of an instrument you covet is equally difficult.  Thankfully, I’ll help walk you through this process (with examples) so you can best determine if a Baldwin Acrosonic piano you’re interested buying (or even selling) is worthy of its asking price.

Baldwin Acrosonic Piano Value – What’s a Baldwin Acrosonic Worth?

In order to assess the value of a Baldwin Acrosonic, I think it’s helpful to utilize a few examples on the open market and examine why each piano is price the way it is.,

1) The first Baldwin Acrosonic piano we have here (a Baldwin 2096), was made in 1986 and is currently selling for $2,995.00 out of the Henderson Music Company in their Lexington showroom. Not only is this a steal from its original price of $9,000.00 (as an “anti-inflation price”), but the pictures show a clean and well-preserved piano.

There are minor scratches and blemishes on the satin cherry varnish, but the keys are in nice shape and have been recently cleaned. Another plus is the tuning pins inside the piano seem to be in good shape, as well based on the photos.

A rule of thumb is that a piano that is newer tends to be lower in price over older pianos because of rarity and the type of wood. However, with this piano at a lower price over its original $9,000.00, this is not only a reasonable price, but a pretty get deal for this Baldwin Acrosonic.

2) Another example of a Baldwin Acrosonic available on the market is this Baldwin Acrosonic Spinet that comes to us once again from the Henderson Music Company.  Here, the price is very low—just $495.00.  I think this is a great starter piano if you are looking into piano lessons for kids in your family.  If so, this would be a great beginner piano. 

As for the pictures, there are some scuff marks on the original bench seat and a small chip on the Middle C key. These are cosmetic issues, however, and do not hamper the playability of this piano.

Though this piano is older than the first one listed above, this one dates back to 1958. With that said, a Spinet piano tends to be devalued because it’s smaller than a larger Baldwin upright piano. However, that does not mean that a Spinet cannot be a great budget piano.  It can also be a great addition to your home if you’re looking for the best piano for small spaces. 

3) This Baldwin Acrosonic comes to us from 1stDibs, a beautifully maintained piano in walnut and caning for $12,250. Keep in mind, this piano has been sold, but I still think it’s worth examining this piano a bit more in depth here. 

This Baldwin is not just well kept, but also had little to no blemishes or finish fatigue that I can see. It is a unique Danish style that was seen in the mid-twentieth century, as this one was made in the 1960s. This type of spinet piano was only seen for a short time, and subsequently is a rare piece of piano history.

Though a spinet tends to be cheaper than their larger counterparts, the fact that the Danish style was seen for a short time helps yield a higher price point. 

4) Another Baldwin Acrosonic Spinet is coming to us from the Alamo Music Center in beautiful satin walnut for the low price of $1,950.00. There are a few wooden scuffs near the white keys, and of course, the bench has more scratches due to use. 

We also see a serial number of 555567, dating once again to the early to mid-1960s. This is a great listing because it not only gives you more photos than just one or two, but it explains to us what is a spinet is and the story behind the Baldwin company.

An added plus, if you’re interested, is a payment plan for $325.00 for six months with special financing. A great deal if you want to pay it in pieces instead of paying it in one lump sum.

5) From West Virginia comes a sleek black Baldwin Acrosonic built in 1962 for $600. This is another beautiful Acrosonic for a low price! There are a few caveats, however: the piano needs to be tuned and the buyer has to be responsible for transport of this piano. 

These photos only give you a small snippet of what the piano has to offer because we do not see the piano keys and their shape, nor the interior. Although I would not shy away from such a low price (or even having to have it tuned), I would consider having a few more pictures sent to me before making the final purchase.

For its age, this Acrosonic in vivid black is in stunning condition. I don’t see any serious scuff marks or scratches or chips.  Still, I think this is a great example of how it’s always wise to ensure that you see all of piano—especially the keys—before making a purchase. 

And because those images aren’t readily available on this sales page, it’s harder to evaluate if what’s being offered here is good value (and thus, I’d recommend asking the seller for more images).

6) From Reeder Pianos in Michigan comes a beautiful Baldwin Acrosonic built in 1957 in satin walnut for $2,495.00 (serial number 614712). This piano is in solid condition, and of course for its age, needs a little reconditioning before it is in pristine condition. 

The posting luckily has placed a few needs for the piano, which include key leveling, keytop polishing, pedal adjustment, piano tuning, hammer resurfacing, and string cleaning to name a few. This understandably is concerning and would on the surface lower its value.  However, it states that this piano comes with a two-year mechanical warranty, so that should give buyers some level of peace of mind.

I noticed that this piano’s varnish has slight fatigue on the top, but other than that, this piano is a great value with the warranty (despite the reconditioning needs it has). Although there is no vintage piano bench to go alongside this vintage Baldwin piano, I still think this is a nice instrument that someone will likely be happy with.

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What is a Baldwin Acrosonic Piano Worth?

Assessing the Baldwin Acrosonic piano value is always a challenge, but often you’ll find that the price will fall somewhere between the cost of a vintage upright piano and the price of vintage baby grand.  For example, let’s take a closer look at the cost of a pricey vintage Baldwin Baby Grand (below) so that we can put this into better context.

1)This Baldwin Model R Grand Piano sold for $14,999 (from an original price of $48,300).  As I have mentioned, grand pianos command a higher price point because of the size and material that they use versus an upright and spinet piano. As you can see from the pictures listed, the cast iron plate (the metal parts of the piano that connect to the hammers and strings) is larger and spread out versus a spinet or upright. 

Baldwin Brand Recognition

The Baldwin Piano Company was one of America’s respected piano manufacturers that was once the largest American piano maker besides Steinway & Sons.  Though Baldwin is still making pianos, they have since been bought off by the Gibson Company (respected guitar maker) and their pianos are made in China.

Nevertheless, according to Riverton Piano in Scottsdale, the restructuring has caused Baldwin to shift from luxury to affordable pianos like Japanese makers Yamaha and Kawai.

Factors That Affect a Piano’s Value

I have mentioned previously the types of pianos, from a small spinet to a grand piano, are different.  However, there are more subtle factors that can affect a piano’s value if it’s going for sale. For instance, has the varnish been taken care of and is it original? Originality of not just a piano, but any musical instrument will command a higher price point than a restored piano.

There’s also the factor of it being in tune. Having a piano out of tune will lower the value because it’s a repair that a buyer has to consider. Plus it does not sound good and can hamper the piano’s health as it gets older.

The piano keys should, when played, return to its resting position after being played legato or staccato. If the piano keys stick, that may mean the hammers are fatigued and need to be fixed  by a technician because that once again will affect the value.

Of course, the piano brand recognition of the instrument can impact the value. In the case of Baldwin, they tend to fluctuate in certain examples, below some of the Steinway pianos from the 1950s to the 1980s, as the examples I have listed have shown. Although Baldwin isn’t as recognizable as a Yamaha, Steinway, or Bosendorfer, their name is still remembered in the vintage world as one of America’s finest brands.

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What You Should Demand

In my experience of searching for a piano, I prefer to clean pictures (if looking online) and the ability to hear the piano (either in person or at least through video). 

If the piano is not local, I recommend you asking the seller if you can hear the piano being played on video.  Even if the piano only costs $500 to $1,000, it’s still a mighty investment in money (and don’t forget the amount of time and planning it requires to get it in your home).

I also strongly recommend you to have an expert tell you what piano brands to avoid. Experts tend to know what to look out for besides cosmetics and a badly tuned piano.

What I also recommend (for anyone who has a Baldwin Acrosonic for sale) is to find the serial number of the piano, as well as the year the piano was produced. That way, you can quite possibly find a similar piano that recently sold online, and you can better evaluate what to charge for your instrument. 

Another option is to go the route of getting the piano appraised, though keep in mind that this will be an additional expense.

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