Used Boston Pianos: Buying Guide, Models & Prices
Boston is Steinway & Sons' mid-priced line: designed in New York by Steinway engineers and built in Japan by Kawai since 1992. The result is a modern, consistent piano with a wide-tail grand design that gives a bigger soundboard than the length suggests — a 5'10" GP-178 has the soundboard area of many 6'1" grands.
On the used market Boston sits between Yamaha/Kawai and Steinway proper. Steinway dealers often accept Bostons on trade toward a Steinway at full purchase price within ten years, which props up values and keeps clean used examples in dealer showrooms rather than private listings.
What Boston pianos are worth in 2026
Median asking
$14,200
Lowest
$4,795
Highest
$49,200
Live asking prices from 37 priced Boston listings on US Piano Connection right now, refreshed hourly. Dealer asking prices include prep work, warranty, and delivery; a private sale realistically brings 60–70% of the median for an ordinary example in good condition. The model ranges below narrow that down.
Compare Boston against every major brand or get a free appraisal for your Boston.
What Boston is known for
- Steinway-designed scale and rim, Kawai manufacturing precision
- Wide-tail grands (GP-156, 163, 178, 193, 215) with generous soundboards for their size
- UP-118, UP-126, UP-132 uprights — solid studio and home verticals
- The Steinway trade-up promise, which supports resale value
Popular used Bostonmodels & prices
Boston GP-156 / GP-163 (5'1"–5'4")
$9,000–$18,000 usedBaby grands for apartments and smaller rooms. Warm and even; a cut above similarly sized Yamaha/Kawai grands in bass response.
Boston GP-178 (5'10")
$12,000–$24,000 usedThe most popular Boston grand and the best all-rounder — a serious home and teaching instrument.
Boston GP-193 / GP-215 (6'4"–7'1")
$18,000–$40,000 usedStudio and small-hall grands. The 215 is a real recital piano at a fraction of Steinway B money.
Boston UP-118 / UP-126 / UP-132 uprights
$4,000–$11,000 usedWell-built verticals; the 52" UP-132 competes directly with the Yamaha U3 and Kawai K-500.
Ranges are typical asking prices for privately sold and dealer-restored instruments in the U.S.; condition, age, and restoration quality move prices substantially.
Boston pianos for sale now
DealerGood Deal1999 Boston GP178 II
San Antonio, TX
Grand · Good condition
Alamo Music Center
Nationwide Delivery Available
$12,789
View details
Dealer2001 Boston UP-132 52″
Denver, CO
Upright
Classic Pianos Denver
Nationwide Delivery Available
$9,995
View details
DealerGreat Deal2005 Boston GP-163
Denver, CO
Baby grand
Classic Pianos Denver
Nationwide Delivery Available
$9,995
View details
DealerFair Deal2003 Boston Grand GP-163 (5'4")
Pine Brook, NJ
Baby grand
Lindeblad Piano Restoration
Nationwide Delivery Available
$15,000
View details
DealerFair Deal1999 Boston 118
White Plains, NY
Upright
Faust Harrison Pianos
Nationwide Delivery Available
$6,950
View details
DealerFair Deal2007 Boston GP178
White Plains, NY
Grand
Faust Harrison Pianos
Nationwide Delivery Available
$15,800
View details
DealerFair Deal2002 Boston GP163
White Plains, NY
Grand
Faust Harrison Pianos
Nationwide Delivery Available
$15,500
View details
DealerGood Deal2001 Boston
North Bethesda, MD
Upright
Steinway Piano Gallery Washington DC
Nationwide Delivery Available
$5,900
View details
DealerFair Deal2007 Boston GP-178
Las Vegas, NV
Grand
Las Vegas Pianos
Nationwide Delivery Available
$14,995
View details
Dealer2025 Boston GP193
Alpharetta, GA
Grand
Steinway Piano Galleries
Nationwide Delivery Available
$49,200
View details
Dealer2025 Boston GP178
Alpharetta, GA
Baby grand
Steinway Piano Galleries
Nationwide Delivery Available
$38,200
View details
DealerFair Deal1994 Boston GP178
Alpharetta, GA
Baby grand
Steinway Piano Galleries
Nationwide Delivery Available
$16,999
View detailsBuying a used Boston: what to check
- Confirm the series: Performance Edition (PE, 2009+) and PE II (2016+) have hammer and soundboard upgrades over the originals
- Check the serial number against Kawai's date tables — Bostons are dated by Kawai production, not Steinway
- Ask for service records; many used Bostons come from Steinway dealer trade-ins and were maintained under dealer care
- Play it against a same-size Kawai GL/GX: if you cannot hear the difference, buy the cheaper one
Frequently asked questions
How much is a used Boston piano worth?
Boston uprights typically sell used for $4,000–$11,000 and grands for $9,000–$40,000 depending on size and age; the popular GP-178 runs $12,000–$24,000.
Is a Boston piano a Steinway?
It is designed by Steinway and sold by Steinway dealers, but built by Kawai in Japan. It is a Steinway-family piano, not a Steinway & Sons.
Boston vs. Kawai — which holds value better?
Roughly the same, since they share factories. Boston's dealer trade-up program can add resale support, while comparable Kawai models cost less to begin with.
Selling a Boston piano?
Start with how much is my piano worth? for live values, run a free instant appraisal, then list it free on US Piano Connection and reach buyers nationwide — read our guide to selling your piano or start your listing.