We're thrilled that you want to host a piano!
Below, we've answered some
Frequently Asked Questions

1. What makes a good location for one of your pianos?

   • We want the piano played frequently, so it should be placed somewhere with relatively high foot traffic where it's free for the public to use.

   • We can place the piano indoors or outdoors. As time goes on, the quality of indoor pianos will be far superior. They play easier, sound better, cost less to maintain and have a much longer life.

   • If the piano is outdoors, it needs to be protected from water (rain, snow, stormy sideways rain, sprinklers, puddles, puddle spray, etc.).
     

2. Who owns the piano after it's been placed in the host locatiion?

   • Play Me Again Pianos maintains ownership of the piano and provides basic maintenance to keep it playable.
     

3. Who's responsible for keeping the piano tuned?

   • We move the piano into place, have it tuned, hold a ribbon cutting ceremony, and then it's open for the public to play.  We'll also tune it periodically throughout the year, our aim is to tune outdoor pianos quarterly and indoor pianos as needed, usually annually.  Indoor pianos will hold a tune much longer than outdoor pianos - which are more finicky.  It varies with the humidity but outdoor pianos will have more instances of sticky keys.  A key may get stuck on a very humid day but play just fine on a dry day.  We can't control that, but we'll repair the piano as keys become stuck for other reasons. You can expect an outdoor piano will sound like a 'honky tonk' piano when the weather is changing frequently and as th piano ages, but the more the piano is played, the more playable it will be.  Piano Stewards can help with this.  (You can read more about Piano Stewards on our Volunteer page.)
     

4. How long will the piano last?

   • An indoor piano can last as long as it would last in your living room.  We predict an outdoor piano to last from two to five years depending on various factors such as the quality of the donated piano, the quality of the sheltered location, and the weather. Here in Georgia, an assumption of three to four years has been a pretty safe bet.
     

5. Who paints the piano?

   • We don't have a staff who paints our pianos, they're painted by artists in our community who donate their time and talent.  We're always on the lookout for artists, and sometimes artists contact us directly.  If you have an artist in mind, we would be happy to speak with them about the project.  It adds something special when a local artist is involved.

   • In some cases we work with the host to provide an artist stipend.
     

6. Where is the piano painted?

   • The piano needs to be painted at the artist's studio or at the host location.  We hope to have a permanent studio in the future, but until then, the option to use a particular artist may depend upon whether or not the artist or the host has place to paint the piano.
     

7. How long does it take to get one of your pianos?

   • We have pianos stored and ready to be painted, but the timeline is unpredictable. The variable in the timeline is always the artist. The first variable is finding/choosing the artist. The second is the artist's method, their pace, and their schedule. That being said, we will manage the entire project for you and keep you up to date with all current expectations.
     

8. Who names the pianos?

   • We at Play Me Again Pianos choose the name for each of our pianos. We welcome all suggestions.
     

9. How much does it cost us to have one of your pianos?

   • We work with our hosts to organize fundraising campaigns to cover the expenses associated with placing a piano and ongoing maintenance.
     

10. What are my responsibilities as the host of a piano?

    • First and foremost, KEEP IT DRY !
      

    • If you see something, say something.
      We'll be checking on your piano periodically. But if you see something that you think needs our attention, please let us know.
      

    • Be welcoming and encouraging to the public playing the piano.
      

    • Be welcoming to your Piano Steward(s).
      We can't get to every piano as much as we'd like, so we actively solicit community members to be Piano Stewards. They perform a few minor tasks that go a long way toward keeping the piano enjoyable for everyone.
      

    • Help us to keep the piano inviting to play and pleasing to look at. Backfill your community Piano Stewards by appointing an in-house caretaker, or rotating caretakers. You can see what a Piano Steward does on our Volunteer page.)
      

11. What happens if the piano becomes unplayable?

    • If the piano has played it's last tune but you've loved having it and want to continue hosting, we'll work together to raise funds for another one.
      

12. What if I don't want the piano anymore?

    • We'll check with you annually to see if you'd like to keep the piano at your location. At any point, if you decide not to continue hosting it, just let us know. We'll remove the piano for you.
      

13. Alright, how do I get started?

    • Click the "Host Sign Up" button at the top of the page and fill out the form. We'll be in touch soon!