Gentle Giant (Allston Piano Movers) review: Cost, services and customer experience

Gentle Giant (Allston Piano Movers) at a glance

Gentle Giant and its partner, Allston Piano Movers, is a full-service moving company that services customers in New England and New York State. It specializes in moving pianos, a company strength since opening in 1995.

Fast facts

What we like

Gentle Giant may be a good fit if you’re moving a whole household of items because many of the best piano movers focus solely on instrument relocations. Because Allston is part of the network of local businesses in the Boston area, it can be particularly helpful for professional musicians. I like that Gentle Giants runs a charitable foundation that focuses on athletic and educational leadership development and homelessness prevention and support.

No matter what state you live in, if you book a movie with Gentle Giant, you can also look at a directory of its employees and see the people who will knock on your door on moving day. To our team’s knowledge, no other moving company does this.

What we don’t like

Gentle Giant has a limited service area. It only handles local moves in a handful of cities along the East Coast, Seattle and San Francisco. Allston Piano Movers has an even smaller service area, focusing solely on the Boston metropolitan area and New York state. Gentle Giant doesn’t have many customizable add-on options, which makes them unsuitable for customers with complex moving needs.

*BBB ratings accurate as of August 2024

Gentle Giant (Allston Piano Movers) pros and cons

On the plus side, Gentle Giant’s relationship with Allston Piano Movers makes it a trusted provider of specialty moving services. It’s also family-owned and operated, driven by core values and exclusively works with its own employees, instilling trust that your movers are properly trained and insured.

Allston Piano Movers is deeply entrenched in the Boston music scene, evidenced by its long-standing relationships with major conservatories at Wheaton College, Harvard University and Longy School of Music. It’s also connected to the larger nationwide community through its membership in the Piano Technicians Guild. For many years, professional musicians like the late Tony Bennett have trusted the company to move their pianos for performances.

I like that Allston has a sister company, Piano Rentals of Boston, that loans Steinway and Yamaha pianos to performers for special events. These rentals include complete moving services. So, you don’t have to worry about the logistics of picking up or dropping off the instrument.

However, Allston Piano Mover’s services are limited to a small geographic area. While Gentle Giant has a larger nationwide reach, its specialty piano moving services are restricted to Boston and New York state. Unlike many of its competitors, the company also has no demographic-specific discounts for students, military personnel or seniors.

Pros

Cons

How much does Gentle Giant (Allston Piano Movers) cost?

Gentle Giant sets its rate for moves based on several factors, so it’s difficult to give an average cost for its services. However, the company has a few resources for a better understanding of how it sets prices for piano moving.

For local moves, you can expect to pay an hourly rate between $40 and $80. The wide range accounts for differing demands in select cities. For example, it’s likely more expensive to move in New York City than in suburban Boston. Some moves will be estimated with a flat rate, typically between $200 and $2,000.

For Allston, several specific factors affect the cost of a piano move:

These factors also apply to Gentle Giant’s costs. You’ll want to consider the following:

What services does Gentle Giant (Allston Piano Movers) offer?

Allston Piano Movers focuses solely on moving pianos. Still, parent company Gentle Giant is a full-service moving provider with multiple locations across the country’s Mid-Atlantic and New England regions. While local and piano moving services are restricted to these regions, Gentle Giant is happy to handle long-distance and international moves. In these situations, it will work with you to create a “custom moving plan.“

Gentle Giant provides the basics for a move — packing and unpacking, loading and unloading, plus storage when needed. But it doesn’t ship cars and doesn’t clean up and haul away debris like some bigger competitors do. The company also provides a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Its full-time employees are trained to execute high-quality services every single time. If you’re not satisfied, you can contact the quality control team for recourse.

Gentle Giant (Allston Piano Movers) services

Gentle Giant contracts local moves in these areas:

Gentle Giant (Allston Piano Movers) add-ons and optional features

Allston Piano Movers and Gentle Giant have a collection of optional services you can add to your reservation if needed.

Craning

If your piano is difficult to access, Allston Piano Movers has cranes and other equipment to assist throughout the process. The cost of this service depends on the time it will take and the complexity of the move. The harder it is, the more time it can take, and the more insurance coverage may be needed.

Other instruments

While Allston specializes in moving pianos, it will also move harpsichords and other keyboard instruments. These smaller instruments rarely require more movers or any special equipment to move.

Rentals

If you still need an instrument while your piano is in transit or storage, you can take advantage of Allston’s sister company, Piano Rentals of Boston.

Storage

If you don’t have space in your home, you’re completing renovations or just need a safe spot to hold your piano indefinitely, Allston’s climate-controlled storage services will keep it secure. Gentle Giant also offers storage services for other household items.

Tuners/technicians/appraisers

Allston can also refer you to its network of piano technicians and professionals who can help you maintain, sell, insure or repair your instrument during the moving process.

Packing household items

If you’re using Gentle Giant as part of a larger household move, you can request packing services. With this option, expert movers will carefully pack your items to prevent damage. They’ll often supply their own packing materials, which can further reduce the stress of moving.

Gentle Giant (Allston Piano Movers) customer service and experience

Gentle Giant has several locations within its service area, though its national headquarters is in Winchester, Massachusetts. Once you confirm your reservation, you’ll have access to the company’s online portal, which you can use to contact customer service or review documents.

You can also call customer service at (800) 442-6863 for questions and price quotes. The website doesn’t give customer service hours, but you can use the company’s contact form for less-urgent requests.

Allston Piano Movers has a brick-and-mortar office in Boston. You’re free to visit in person from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday. The company will answer its direct line at (617) 489-4755. When I called, I had no problem getting through to the company on a weekday around lunchtime. Company representatives were friendly and knowledgeable and did not apply any pressure to make or close a sale.

You can request a quote online by filling out a form on Allston’s website, but it’s not an instant estimate. You must wait for a call to finalize your booking. All other inquiries can be directed to [email protected].

Allston Piano Movers has overwhelmingly positive reviews online, and I was hard-pressed to find a recent negative review. Here’s what two customers said about their experiences with Allston Piano Movers:

Gentle Giant (Allston Piano Movers) liability coverage

Gentle Giant and Allston Piano Movers ensure their crews hold sufficient cargo insurance to meet state and federal requirements. Insurance includes full-value replacement coverage for the items it moves. Neither company links to a sample contract and they’re not transparent about the provider they use. Allston refers to its insurer as an A-rated insurance company.

Gentle Giant (Allston Piano Movers) vs. competitors

Allston Piano Movers was awarded the distinction of being one of the best piano moving companies for professional musicians because of its relationships with Boston-area conservatories and the Piano Technicians Guild. While Modern Piano Moving solely focuses on piano moves, Allston Piano’s merger with Gentle Giant Moving allows it to facilitate piano moves with careful precision while taking care of a larger household or commercial moving project.

Allston Piano Mover’s biggest downside compared to other providers on our best piano movers guide is that it only services Boston and New York state. Gentle Giant has a similar downside, given that its local moving services are restricted to specific areas in the country.

Gentle Giant didn’t win a spot on our best moving companies of 2024, so it may be worth considering other options if you’re coordinating a larger moving project.

Competitor comparison

Methodology

The best piano moving companies of 2024 went through a rigorous rating system that assessed the most important factors to consumers like you. We evaluated each company on the same factors to ensure we were comparing like-to-like on an unbiased basis. The most crucial elements we considered were mover type — local, long-distance or international relocations with self-service, hybrid and full-service options — and flexibility to customize those services to fit various customer needs.

From there, we evaluated insurance options and overall reputation, looking at customer reviews, professional accreditations from organizations like the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and complaints to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Next, we assess each company’s state availability and online services, such as GPS tracking, inventory forms and virtual estimates. Finally, we awarded a one-point editorial judgment to companies demonstrating responsive customer service, claims resolution and other green flags for potential customers.

FAQs