[CAUT] loaner programs

[Jim Busby]

David,

Kawai's parts are an excellent way to go. I can't quote a price, but it's VERY good, and more importantly, there were only about 4 or 5 hammers in each set that needed traveling/burning. The hammers are easy to voice. A no brainer. Don M??

Jim Busby BYU

From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of reggaepass at aol.com
Sent: Monday, March 01, 2010 12:56 PM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] loaner programs

Hi David,

Two relevant points:

1)  Kawai makes very good pianos, especially the Shigeru line

2)  According to a post from Jim Busby a while back, Kawai makes replacement parts available at VERY reasonable prices.  We have mostly Yamahas here at CalArts.  They have been good pianos, but a set of h/sh/fl now goes for around $1,200 (about the same as Stwy).  This may not be a factor to a private party, where parts replacement may never be an issue, but in a serious school environment, it's an issue two or three times each decade.  When we first bought the Yamahas, new hammer assemblies cost only several hundred dollars, about what Kawai charges now.  Had I know all those many years ago that this price disparity would crop up between the two down the road, we might have reconsidered whose pianos we bought in the first place.
Food for thought.

Alan Eder

-----Original Message-----
From: David Denison <a440 at optonline.net>
To: caut at ptg.org
Sent: Mon, Mar 1, 2010 10:04 am
Subject: Re: [CAUT] loaner programs
Our Yamaha loaner program here at Hofstra too ended abruptly, with our local dealer filing chapter 11.  The music dept. is in discussions for either buying the loaners or signing on for a Kawai loaner program-with the same dealer no less!  I was asked by the chair which pianos would be the best.  I like the Yamahas (mostly U1s, GC1s, a C6 and a few C2s) and I suggested they buy them. Can you imagine, a University asking a piano tech for advice??

 In all fairness to Kawai, I said I had very little experience or knowledge of their line.  I know the (sp?) Sheguru grands are supposed to be wonderful, though I've not played one.  If anyone cares to venture an opinion on the Kawais or this dilemma, I would be most appreciative.  Don Mannino, are you listening?

David Denison, RPT
Registered Piano Technician
Member Piano Technicians Guild

Phone: 516-674-4385
Email: A440 at optonline.net<mailto:A440 at optonline.net>
----- Original Message -----
From: Kent Swafford<mailto:kswafford at gmail.com>
To: College and University Technicians<mailto:caut at ptg.org>
Sent: Monday, March 01, 2010 9:45 AM
Subject: [CAUT] loaner programs


I've heard of a number of loaner programs that have ended in the current economic mess. (Loaner programs, meaning, dealers lending new pianos to institutions in exchange for a heavily promoted onsite sale of pianos to the public.)

Have others of these programs ended? Do these programs continue as usual in some places?


Just curious,


Kent

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/caut.php/attachments/20100301/4ddc1675/attachment-0001.htm>