Author: Hickies Music Store

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Pre-Owned Acoustic Pianos: Buy or Rent in Reading

For more than 160 years Hickies Music has helped generations of Berkshire musicians find their piano. Today our ground-floor showroom at 153 Friar Street, Reading RG1 1HE houses a hand-picked range of refurbished uprights and baby grands, each regulated and voiced by our own technicians before it reaches the shop floor. Whether you’re ready to purchase outright or prefer to start on a flexible rental, every instrument here is tuned, warranted and ready to play.

Why Choose a Pre-Owned Piano?

Choosing a pre-owned piano gives you beautiful sound and excellent quality at an affordable price, and at Hickies we’ve made the process of buying a pre-owned piano as easy as possible.

We carefully select each of our pre-owned pianos for their quality, tone, and playability. Every piano is thoroughly inspected, serviced, and tuned by our expert technician, who has been caring for Hickies pianos for over 30 years.

Not sure if you’re ready to commit? You can rent any of our pre-owned pianos first, and if you decide to buy within six months, we’ll credit your full rental payments toward your purchase. It’s the easiest way to try out a piano without purchasing upfront.

We personally deliver each piano to your home using our in-house team, ensuring safe and professional handling every step of the way. Plus, every piano comes with a free tuning once it has settled into its new home and a warranty of up to five years.

At Hickies, buying pre-owned means choosing quality, flexibility, and complete peace of mind.

Our Current Stock & What to Expect

Explore our regularly updated selection of pre-owned pianos, including trusted brands such as Yamaha, Kawai, Bentley, Kemble, Knight, Grotrian-Steinweg, and Weinbach. Every brand we stock is known for their exceptional tone, quality craftsmanship, and responsive touch.

Whether you’re looking for a dependable upright piano ideal for family practice, a refined grand piano to inspire advanced musicians, or a modern silent piano perfect for quiet practice, you’ll find outstanding options here.

Should You Rent a Pre-Owned Piano?

Not ready to drop the full price on an acoustic yet? Renting lets you start lessons on a real piano with almost no risk. Rather than a single large outlay, you secure the instrument with a refundable deposit and a modest monthly fee, typically £50–£85 for uprights and premium models, so you can decide whether piano playing truly belongs in your life before committing significant funds.

Our Rent-to-Buy plan makes the trial period free if you fall in love with playing: up to six months of rental payments plus your deposit come straight off any acoustic piano you purchase, and you can upgrade to a different model, not just the one you hired. If you decide piano isn’t for you, you’ve only paid the rental, nothing more.

Flexibility goes further: there’s no maximum rental period, your monthly rate never rises, and every piano is fully maintained by our in-house technician with 30 years’ experience, so tunings and repairs are covered. Brands like Yamaha and Kawai headline the range, meaning you’re practising on the same makes trusted by teachers and exam boards.

Ready to try it? Just click on the acoustic piano you like, hit “Rent this piano” on its page, and follow the checkout, done!

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Jackson JS22-7 Dinky – Affordable Access to Extended Range Riffing

If you’re curious about 7-string guitars and want something that won’t break the bank, the Jackson JS22-7 Dinky is a brilliant place to start. Designed with metal and hard rock in mind, this guitar gives you access to lower tunings, aggressive tones, and fast playability – all without a hefty price tag. Whether you’re stepping into the extended range world for the first time or just want a solid backup guitar, the JS22-7 delivers way more than you’d expect at this price point.

Built for Speed and Comfort

The first thing that stands out is the guitar’s slick satin finish and classic Jackson styling. It looks mean, in the best way, and feels even better in your hands. The body is made from lightweight poplar, which keeps things comfortable whether you’re standing for a full set or jamming at home.

The bolt-on maple neck features Jackson’s signature “speed neck” profile – slim, fast, and designed for effortless riffing and soloing. You also get a compound radius fretboard made of amaranth, giving you a curved profile down low for chord work and a flatter radius up high for faster leads and bends. Add in 24 jumbo frets and you’ve got a neck that’s built for metal.

Extended Scale for Lower Tunings

With its 26.5-inch scale length, the JS22-7 handles lower tunings like a champ. Whether you’re in standard B, drop A, or going even lower, the extended scale keeps the low strings tight and defined. No floppy low B here – just punchy, percussive low end that holds up under heavy gain.

The hardtail bridge with string-through-body construction adds sustain and keeps everything locked in. It’s simple, solid, and gets the job done.

High-Output Sound and Simplicity

The JS22-7 comes loaded with Jackson’s high-output humbuckers, which are voiced for thick rhythm tones and cutting lead work. They’re ideal for distortion-heavy genres and give you everything you need to chug, shred, or dive into some prog riffage. Controls are kept simple – one volume, one tone, and a three-way switch – so you can focus on playing, not fiddling.

Reliable Hardware, Ready to Rock

Tuning stability is solid thanks to Jackson’s sealed die-cast tuners, and the overall construction feels far more robust than you’d expect from a guitar at this price. It’s the kind of instrument that invites long playing sessions, whether you’re practicing, recording, or playing live.

Final Thoughts – Is It Worth It?

The Jackson JS22-7 Dinky is one of the best value 7-string guitars on the market. It’s got the look, the feel, and the tone to make it a serious contender – whether you’re just starting out or need a reliable second guitar. It’s comfortable to play, holds tuning well, and handles heavier styles with ease.

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly entry into the world of extended range guitars, this one’s definitely worth checking out.

Swing by the shop and try it out for yourself – you might be surprised how much you like it.

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Ibanez RGD61-BAM – Built for Performance and Playability

If you’re into modern metal and need a guitar that can handle heavy riffs, low tunings, and fast shredding, the Ibanez RGD61-BAM is definitely worth a look. This beast is part of Ibanez’s RGD series, which is designed with extended-range players in mind. Whether you’re chugging through aggressive riffs or soaring with high-speed solos, this guitar has the specs to deliver.

Built for Performance and Playability

One of the first things you’ll notice about the RGD61-BAM is its Black Aurora Burst Matte finish. It’s sleek, modern, and has that stage-ready look that screams attitude. But it’s not just about appearances – this guitar is built for serious players.

The body is made from Nyatoh, a tonewood known for delivering a warm, balanced sound with a solid low-end response. It’s paired with a roasted maple Nitro Wizard neck, which is thin, flat, and incredibly smooth to play on. Roasting the wood also makes it more stable, so you don’t have to worry about sudden changes in temperature or humidity messing up your setup.

Topping off the neck is a Macassar ebony fretboard, which not only looks stunning but also gives you a snappy, bright attack with great sustain. The jumbo frets make bending and soloing effortless, while the luminescent side dots help you keep track of your position when playing in dim lighting.

Designed for Lower Tunings

If you’re a fan of low tunings, this guitar is built for you. With its 26.5-inch scale length, you get tighter string tension compared to a standard 25.5-inch scale guitar, meaning your low strings won’t feel floppy when you tune down. Whether you’re in drop C, drop A, or even experimenting with extended tunings, you’ll get clear definition and punchy low end without things getting muddy.

Pickups and Electronics

At the heart of the Ibanez RGD61-BAM’s sound are the Fishman Fluence Modern Ceramic humbuckers. These pickups are designed to give you the best of both worlds – high output with crushing distortion but also the ability to clean up beautifully when you need to dial it back. They’re active pickups, so they’re extremely clear and noise-free, making them perfect for everything from djent to classic heavy metal.

A standout feature is the push-pull volume knob, which lets you switch between two different voicings. You can go from an aggressive, modern metal tone to a cleaner, more organic sound, making this guitar surprisingly versatile for different playing styles.

Hardware That Holds Up

Tuning stability is always a big concern for guitarists, especially if you’re playing with heavier strings and lower tunings. That’s where the Gotoh MG-T locking tuners come in. These make string changes quick and painless while keeping your tuning rock solid.

The Mono-Rail bridge is another great feature, helping to eliminate unwanted string vibration and cross-talk between the strings. This means better sustain and a clearer overall tone, which is exactly what you want when you’re playing complex riffs or fast solos.

Final Thoughts – Is It Worth It?

The Ibanez RGD61-BAM is a fantastic guitar for metal players who need something that’s built for precision, low tunings, and killer tone. From the roasted maple neck to the Fishman pickups and solid hardware, everything about this guitar is designed with performance in mind.

If you’re after a guitar that can handle heavy riffs, shred effortlessly, and stay in tune no matter what you throw at it, this one’s definitely worth trying out.

Pop into our store and give it a go – you might just find your new favourite guitar!