How long do pianos last?

I am often asked, how long do pianos last.
This is a difficult topic, and there is no single answer that can be correct for every single make, model, and type of piano.

For older pianos, the quality of the piano can vary greatly from manufacturer to manufacturer and can even vary between a manufacturers own range of pianos. A manufacturer, may have entry level pianos, and higher quality pianos.

A quick example for how long a piano can last is that currently my family plays and enjoys a beautiful piano that is over 50 years old and it is still enjoyable to play and I also tune pianos that are over 130 years old!

As a general rule, a well built quality piano might last 80-100 years. This would also mean that the pianos BEST years could be the first 40 years, and after this there could be higher maintenance costs. I should point out that not every piano will last this long.

All of this depends on alot of factors. You have factors such as environmental, how often the piano was serviced, and even how often the piano was used all playing a part.
Pianos have parts that wear with usage. Eventually, sooner or later, this wear takes a toll on the piano and will need restoring. Most of the pianos that live a long time, may have been partially or fully refurbished.

Sometimes, the cost to repair or restore a piano can outweigh the costs and benefits of upgrading to a new piano.

A good analogy may be classic cars. There are incredibly beautiful cars, 80-100 years old, but not every car will live that long.
How does one car survive that long, while others do not? In a way, its similar to pianos. It could be factors such as environment. Usage. Servicing and maintenance plays a big part. Ultimately, the ones that last the longest, have usually been restored at some point.
For some families, sometimes the cost to repair, or restore outweighs the cost and benefits of upgrading to a newer one.