A piano's serial number is the most reliable way to determine its actual age, independent of anything a seller tells you.

Finding the serial number

On an upright piano it's usually stamped on the cast iron plate, visible either just above the keys when the top lid is opened, or sometimes on the back of the piano.

Looking it up

  • Reference works like the Pierce Piano Atlas cross-reference thousands of manufacturers' serial number ranges against production years - most piano technicians own a copy or can check one during an inspection.
  • Several free or low-cost online piano age calculators offer the same lookup for a specific brand and serial number.
  • Some manufacturers publish their own serial number ranges directly on their websites.

This matters beyond curiosity: it helps put the condition of felt, strings and case in context for the piano's real age, and protects against a seller understating how old an instrument actually is.