> >Beofre Renner started selling directly to the "public", didn't Steinway > >have a similar policy about selling Renner hammers for non Hamburg S&S? > > > >Wim > > ... And, speaking of "selling directly to the public," evidently > Yamaha is > doing just that. > I called up to order a set of butt flanges and was quoted a charge for > sales tax. > I told them I don't pay sales tax and they replied that, if I would give > them my tax number, they would drop the sales tax. > That prompted me to inquire whether my customers (or Joe Public) > could call > Yamaha and order piano parts themselves. The answer was, "yes... if they > have a valid instrument serial number." > > Perhaps this has always been the case, but its news to me. Hmm......in that case, it'll be easy to remember the number off of that beauteous Yamaha celeste that we own -- ser.#31! You think they'd accept that as a "valid instrument serial number" were I to order a set of pedal rods for a P-22? It's a Yamaha instrument, after all...... I don't expect anyone but Yamaha to defend this bit of CYA, by the way. I'm just amazed at the lengths some companies will go to "ensure" that their parts are being used only for their instruments. I can just see one of the Big Three (or Four? or Five?) auto makers suddenly requiring a VIN before you can buy their brand-name replacement air filters. My goodness. I guess building a better piano has become less important that preventing renegade piano technicians from "cross-pollinating" pianos! Heck! Steinway's already into voo-doo piano manufacturing.....Steinway Young-Changs, Steinway Kawais.....what's next? Steinway Baldwins? :-) So what's wrong with using Yamaha parts in Steinways? Good grief. _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com
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