Piano Weights Guide:Weight of Different Types of Pianos
Pianos come in a wide variety of styles and dimensions as well as a variety of weights. First and foremost, you must determine the kind of piano you have to determine how much it weighs. If you recognize the specific model identification, you can always search for that sort of info to determine the instrument’s actual weight.
What is the approximate weight of a piano? The typical piano weighs around 300 to 500 pounds, depending on the model. Usually, upright pianos weigh approximately 300 and 500 pounds, at the very least. Upright pianos that are larger may weigh up to 900 pounds. The weight of a baby grand piano is around 622 to 690 pounds. The majority of 9′ concert grand pianos may weigh up to 990 pounds.
For anybody considering moving a piano, it is critical to understand how much weight the instrument carries. When you are trying to measure the length of a grand piano, you should start at the very front of the keyboard with the lid closed and work your way back to the middle of the tail.
For those of you who aren’t clear which type of piano they own, continue reading to see what different types of pianos are to find out whether it matches your instrument. This article will go through the various kinds of pianos as how much of them may weigh.
Upright pianos are the kind of piano you would see in a lecture theatre or art school, and they are the most common type.
Correspondingly, it has a flat back, and it is square or rectangular in form. Upright pianos are somewhat convenient and quicker to transport to another place than grand pianos since they weigh lighter and don’t need to dismantle any of their parts.
Grand pianos come in a variety of dimensions, ranging from smaller grand pianos to large concert grand pianos. If you are entirely unaware of what sort and weight of grand piano you own, you can either use a tape measure to have a concise overview of your instrument. Once you’ve determined the precise dimensions of your grand piano, you can use the information given underneath to obtain a reasonable approximation regarding its weight.
For reference, this is a generalized Upright pianos’ dimensions, and weight are shown below:
Vertical Piano Categories (Upright)
Vertical pianos, often termed upright pianos, are the most renowned piano seen in households. Upright pianos are famous since they are more portable and cost lesser than a grand piano based on the type. However, several uprights’ pianos will be much more costly than a grand piano.
Vertical pianos are available in various types, and the weight of each one varies depending on which one you own. This variance is determined by the dimensions of the piano and the kind of wood used in its production. Vertical pianos are generally classified into four categories:
1) Spinet Piano
Height: 36 to 40 inches
Weight: 200 to 400 pounds
Spinet pianos are the smallest and lightest of the upright pianos, weighing approximately 200 and 400 pounds on average. It is one of the smaller pianos ever built, with an approximate height of around 37 inches and a maximum height of up to 40 inches. A spinet piano is generally triangular in its form. A spinet is a beautiful thing to have in your musical instruments collection with a small living space. Its only minor drawback is that it produces a lesser robust sound in the spinet’s small frame and structure.
2) Console Pianos
Height: 40 to 43 inches
Weight: 350-450 pounds
In terms of weight, console pianos typically range around 350-450 pounds, making them the most prominent vertical pianos. This instrument’s height ranges from approximately 40 to 43 inches, making it somewhat more extensive than a spinet, and it is available in a wide variety of styles.
3) Studio Piano
Height: 44 to 48 inches
Weight: 400 to 500 pounds
The weight of studio pianos may vary somewhere around 400 to 500 pounds, and its height is approximately 46 to 48 inches. These pianos have good structural integrity due to various styles and production. On top of that, skilled pianists like performing using a studio piano because of the desirable tone it produces. This kind of instrument is popular in art schools since it is regarded as an ideal balance among dimensions and timbre. Moving a piano of this size will need the participation of at least three persons.
4) Upright Piano
Height: 48 to 60 inches
Weight: 500-1000 pounds
An upright piano is the highest and heaviest of all the vertical pianos, with an approximate height spanning around 48 to 60 inches and a weight varying within 400 and 500 pounds. The upright piano’s pleasant tone is well-known, and as a result, it has been in widespread usage for many decades. The weights of upright pianos differ depending on whatever type you own. The weight variation is driven by the dimensions of the piano and the kind of wood used to create it.
5) Classic Upright Pianos
Height: 57 to 72 inches
Weight: 496 to 992 pounds
Upright Pianos are the tallest, and heaviest, and most massive available in the marketplace. Several classical pianos weigh approximately 496 pounds when it comes to weight, whereas others weigh up to 992 pounds. Classic uprights vary in height between 57 inches to 72 inches, depending on the style.
Next, we’ll talk about the weight and dimensions of grand pianos.
Horizontal Piano Categories (Grand)
Horizontal pianos are also considered to be grand pianos in certain contexts. As a corollary, grand pianos are favored by great pianists and experienced piano learners because of their superior precision and receptive action. A grand piano comes in six different varieties that are marketed on the marketplace worldwide.
Grand and horizontal pianos are very heavy due to their enormous size. It is customary to dismantle a grand piano before transporting it, given the complex shapes of the instrument. A horizontal piano can only be moved by specialists specialized in handling these instruments. It is estimated that the smallest of them weighs around 400 pounds, and the biggest weighs approximately 1200 pounds.
1) Petite Grand Piano
Length: 4’6″ to 5′
Weight: 400 to 500 pounds
Based on the type, petite grand pianos may weigh around 400 and 500 pounds. It has a height range of 4 ft 6 inches up to 5 inches, making it the most petite grand piano purchasable on the marketplace. Despite its small size, the diminutive grand’s power continues to amaze both pianists and listeners together. A diminutive or petite grand piano is regarded as a grand piano smaller than 5 ft in length.
2) Baby Grand Piano
Length: 5′to 5’6″
Weight: 500 to 600 pounds
The baby grand is somewhat taller than the petite piano, around 5 ft to 5 ft. 6 inches in height. The baby grand’s tonal quality is very remarkable. In addition, the tiny piano has a unique artistic value that renders it the instrument of preference for many pianist learners. These pianos are around 500 and 600 pounds in weight. The pedals and legs of a baby grand piano should be carefully dismantled before you can transport it. You will need three or four people to carry the piano safely to the ideal place.
3) Medium Grand Piano
Length: 5’6″to 5’9″
Weight: 500 to 600 lbs
The medium grand piano is somewhat more extensive than the baby grand, with an approximate height of 5’6″ to 5’9″. It may weigh anything between 500 to 600 pounds.
4) Living Room Grand Piano
Length: 5’9″ to 6′ 1″
Weight: 600 to 700 pounds
The parlor piano, commonly known as the living room grand piano, can range from 5 ft 9 inches to 6 ft 1 inch in size and weighs approximately 700 pounds. Over this, they are appropriate for vast rooms in the house, modest practice settings, and even a tiny but adequate recital venue.
5) Ballroom Grand Piano
Length: 6’2″ to 7′
Weight: 900 to 1000 pounds
Generally speaking, the ballroom grand is between 6 ft 2 inches to 7 ft in length, making it somewhat more extensive than the living room grand. It is sometimes referred to as the semi-concert grand piano since its size is comparable to that of the concert grand piano. It may weigh between 900 and 1000 pounds. It is well-suited for medium- to large-scale events since they are well in terms of power and provide a great depth of timbre without the enormous dispersion characteristic of concert grand piano.
6) Concert Grand Piano
Length: 9′
Weight: 700- 1,200 pounds
The Concert Grand piano is the biggest grand piano, measuring 9 ft in length and weighing between 700 and 1,200 pounds. A piano like this may be seen in university concert theaters and at most premier stadiums worldwide. While a more prominent piano does not always imply a better piano, concert grands have the most extensive and deepest resonant timbre of any piano in various instruments. That is why a concert grand is required in a concert venue or vast auditorium.
Digital Pianos Categories
1) Digital Grand Pianos
This piano features 88 keys, as well as an integrated sound system. It has all the characteristics of a mini-grand piano, including a piano top and four legs, among other things. Its sound is more or less similar to that of a grand piano in terms of volume and quality. It may range in weight from 150 up to 350 pounds.
2) Professional Digital Keyboard
This digital piano has semi-weighted or wholly weighted keys. Metals and woods have been integrated into the creation of the piano to enhance the realism of the sound. Owing to the materials used in its production, it weighs between 25 and 60 pounds.
What Causes a Piano to Be So Heavy?
There are certain standard acceptations regarding its weight, even if every piano is unique in its way. An overview of each of the piano parts that add weight is provided in the following.
Piano Casing
The piano’s body is crafted from numerous layers of wood. Woods is carefully chosen, processed, and then fused to create an entire frame. Although these wooden layers are thin at first, collectively, they weigh a significant amount.
The amount of thickness in the casing greatly influences the timbre of the piano. Generally, the thicker the case, the darker and more comprehensive the piano’s tone will be. One of the essential factors in achieving well-balanced ambient acoustics of the instrument is using a wood casing. It is a significant part of how the instrument is well-balanced acoustically.
Cast Iron Plate
One of the heaviest components within a grand piano is the cast iron plate. It holds all of the pressure created by the strings and makes a vastly massive sound owing to its capacity to retain tremendous pressure.
The plate weighs half of the weight of the overall piano. Depending on the piano, up to 70% of the total weight might be attributable to the cast iron plate. A further good sample is a 600 lbs. baby grand piano with a 300-to-375-pound cast iron plate.
The total weight estimates can change if you contemplate the pin block, tune pins, and agraffes.
Metal Strings
The typical eighty-eight key piano has around 236 strings. When you include the tension attached to every one of the strings, the whole instrument weighs hundreds of pounds. The vast majority of piano strings it is created from copper or steel. A single treble string is about 1/3 inches in thickness. Producing the higher-sounding tones may be helped by that. Its bass strings are thicker and tuned in a particular manner.
Hammers
The hammers for pianos are composed of wool mixed with various fibers. When considered alone, they’re very light, but they’re considerably heavier when considered an overall unit. Every hammer is linked towards the piano by a wooden lever that is attached to the keys.
Piano Keys
Full-size pianos have 88 keys altogether. Solid wood and plastic are used for the majority of piano keys. An ancient piano has ivory keys, which are a little heavier than the plastic keys often seen in modern pianos.
Soundboard
The soundboard, which is located beneath the cast-iron plate, is the most critical component of the piano. The majority of soundboards are built of spruce wood. It extends the entire length of the instrument, although it is not very substantial. Even though it does not contribute considerable weight to a piano, it is nevertheless something to consider.
Piano Legs
The piano’s legs are also very hefty, given the fact that the piano’s casing is fairly substantial by itself. Piano legs come in a variety of forms, dimensions, and thicknesses. Several legs are also equipped with metal wheels that are both hefty and sturdy, allowing them to sustain the load of the whole instrument.
Piano Lid
If you’ve ever had to hoist the lid of a piano beforehand, you’re probably aware of how hefty this component can be to handle. The lid of a piano is manufactured with a firm mixture of wood. A set of metal hinges connects it to the piano’s case.
One reason for its heavyweight is to safeguard the internal parts of the instrument from breakage. The lid is also designed to bounce soundwaves from the soundboard, which significantly improves the quality of the sound projection.
If you intend to transport a piano with a hefty lid, it’s a great way to stay the lid on the hinge since it’s an arduous process to set the lid again.
What Is the Weight of The Heaviest Piano in The World?
Adrian Mann, a New Zealand piano tuner, holds the title for the largest piano ever created. It got him four years to make the piano, and this magnificent instrument weights 1.4 tons and is 5.7m long, which is a massive accomplishment for a man who was only 25 years old after he completed the piano.
However, Daniel Czapiewski took over the title largest piano in the world, and Guinness World Records recognized it with a width of 2.495 meters, a length of 6.07 meters, a height of 1.925 meters, and weighing 2 tons. In December 2010, it was performed and played at a concert in Poland.
Conclusion
The mixture of thick layers of wood, a hefty cast iron plate, and a slew of other parts results in the piano being among the heavyweight music instruments available on the marketplace nowadays. The harp is made of cast iron, which contributes to the piano’s overall weight. This part accounts for almost seventy percent of the total load of the instrument.
