Anyone have experience moving pianos?

[Rot Box]

Anybody have experience with moving a piano? My wife bought a shorter upright and now we're trying to figure out how to move it from its location in Herriman to Cache Valley...

Is transporting it in the bed of my F350 a good idea if we plastic wrap it or should I look into a U-haul? I no nothing about these things other than they are extremely delicate and I don't want to risk any damage. Where can I find a piano dolly--better yet does anyone here have one I could rent? I called a place that specializes in transporting these, but I really don't want to spend $375+ Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

Andrew

 

[mbryson]

EZ Rhino on here is a professional mover. I'm not sure if he'd be cheaper than that, but he'd have good advice re: doing so.

 

[TRNDRVR]

Anybody have experience with moving a piano?.....Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

Late 60s cartoons.

 

[Ogre Palowakski]

I have experience moving them and my advice is to not hire me. I was with 3 other guys carrying a baby grand piano into a mansion several years back. It was so heavy we all simultaneously set it down on it's side (one of the varnished sides) right on the sidewalk. A lot of yelling took place after that.

I also helped move my sister-in-law's bazillion pound upright piano a few times.

It seems the best advice is to have a lot of guys to help, maybe even more than seems reasonable and then feed them pizza or something. Have a lot of blankets availble to protect it during the move but also to toss underneath it in case it's about to be set (or dropped) onto the floor or pavement, etc.

I hope that helps!

 

[Rot Box]

Thanks you guy's! And I'll be sure to throw in lots of blankets.

The moving company I talked to definitely knew their stuff and that would probably be a good price/investment for an upscale piece, but we didn't spend too much on this one so I can't really justify the cost--hopefully I don't regret it

It was so heavy we all simultaneously set it down on it's side (one of the varnished sides) right on the sidewalk. A lot of yelling took place after that.

Oh dang I'll bet! I can see where you're coming from. I once moved a big safe once down a flight of stairs with some friends--NEVER again EVER!

 

[UNSTUCK]

I have more experience then I'd like. I've helped move my mothers 1800's LARGE upright many times. Two of my favorite were, the first time I remember doing it, we moved in the back of a pickup from Provo to Orem. We strapped it down pretty good then one guy jumped up there and started playing it all the way to the new house. Pretty funny.
The other story was when we moved it into a house in Alaska. The only way we could get it upstairs was by taking it around to the back of the house and taking it up the stairs off the second story deck. We laid 2x6's down on the stairs to help roll it, but we could not get enough guys on the stairs to push. We got lucky though. There was a tree on the far side of the deck so we attached a come a long to it and used it to pull as well as all the guys on the bottom side. Pretty crazy.
Bottom line is they are heavy. My dad broke many toes in his day moving it around. But they really are not all that bad. It makes for a good EQ party. They will always need a tune with you get it settled. Harbor Freight has nice furniture dollies for pretty cheap.

 

[Caleb]

EZ Rhino on here is a professional mover. I'm not sure if he'd be cheaper than that, but he'd have good advice re: doing so.

That was going to be my advice. Although, going from Herriman to Cache Valley is going to be pricey from any one.

 

[Rot Box]

Great I'll look into the dolly's.

I'm starting to think there is no way i'm going to be able to get that thing in and out of my pickup bed lol :-\. Would it be a bad idea to put it on a car hauler? I have no clue how to strap this thing down safely and securely Any ideas? If it were mine I'd just drill in some huge hook screws, but my wife doesn't think that will be a good idea

 

[OREGON85]

I've got a little 8x5 utility trailer that is low to the ground and has a nice ramp. The deck sits at about 17 inches and the ramp is over 3' long, with some plywood you might be able to roll it on and off. The suspension wouldn't be as good as your pickup (although it may be better than your car hauler since it is designed for a lighter load), but it would save a lot of lifting. You are welcome to borrow it! I'll help you unload it too if you would like.

 

[roverrocks]

A sledge hammer and a gallon of Gorilla glue.

 

[Gravy]

I just helped a friend deliver his huge upright on a motorcycle trailer on Friday: it was horrible. 5 guys just to get it up the stairs, bet that thing was close to 1000lbs.
One suggestion: take the wheels off first. We tore one off and had to do a repair at the lady's house.

 

[ID Bronco]

I have a very large upright and my advice is to have a very low deck trailer, strap it down carefully, use a dolly, get it retuned after the move, (my uncle tunes in slc) and schedule your hernia surgery early to avoid long term pain. I have done it, it sucks but no big deal looking back at it. It's worth the enjoyment around the house.

 

[reddevil]

A small upright is not a big deal for two guys, and is real easy with a dolly. You can set it on its back in a truck, if it will fit (you might have some of the linkage for the pedals fall out of place and need to be put back.) The best way to move it would be upright. to put it in the back of your truck just lift one side up high enough to sit a few inches on the tail gate, then lift the other side and slide. You want to take care with the legs, and at the strap points. Hope that helps.

 

[stimmie]

We purchased a piano from granite school district a few years back so it had the big wheels on it and stuff. I just put it in the bed of my 96 chevy and tied it down, then put the tarp over that and tied the tarp down. Made it from there to Roosevelt just fine. I was lucky enough to have an unfinished front yard and backed right up to the front porch. Just took me and a brother or two to get it into the house. The school loaded it into the truck with a fork lift so that was way easy too.

 

[iamsparticus]

I helped a guy several times that rebuilds them professional, it takes a special dolly that goes on the side and he always used a enclosed trailer that was low to the ground, and lots of packing blankets

 

[Rot Box]

Thanks again for the help everyone! And thank you Oregon I have decided that I'm going to rent a U-haul enclosed trailer with their piano moving equipment package--turns out they have this package--I would have never guessed LOL Should be around $35 for the day so I don't feel too bad about that.

The piano is a studio upright so it shouldn't be terrible. That said is there anyone in the Herriman area that would be interested in helping Saturday around noonish or maybe sometime Friday? Right now I'm not certain that I need extra help, but if someone was willing I figured I'd ask ahead of time... I could buy you lunch, beer or pay cash... pm me if you're interested