----- Original Message ----- From: "Will Wickham" <wwickham at stny.rr.com> > Larry's book (second edition is what I have) has some pretty good > general info on pages 141-143. I go through a few steps to appraise a > piano: First, I use the depreciation schedule on page 143 to > determine the current value of older pianos. I find (or estimate) > the age of the piano then multiply the suggested retail price of the > closest available model that is currently available by the indicated > percentage. That gives me a starting point. Second is to survey the > web for asking prices (and actual sale prices when I can find them) > for pianos of similar model and age. The third step is to call around > to "local" dealers to see what they might ask or expect to get for > the particular piano. The final step is to consider all of this along > with Larry's advice as well as the condition of the piano and come up > with a high figure (what the piano should be insured for or > replacement cost) Be aware that many (or at least State Farm) insurance companies selling "replacement cost" policies will replace a claimed item with new - your 20 year old TV will be replaced with a similar new one - your 50 year old couch will be replaced with a similar new one - your 15 year old refrigerator will be replaced with a new one - AND your 100 year old piano will be replaced with a new one. So in that case, the figure the insurance company needs is the current retail cost of a new similar piano! > and a "likely sale price" figure (what I'd > recommend the customer ask for or expect to get in a sale) for the > market conditions in the region where the piano is located. > > While the first step doesn't apply in all cases (since you just can't > buy a Wing and Sons grand or any of the tall old upright style pianos > new these days) the others all have some bearing on all pianos. Most all major piano manufacturers offer a 52-inch-tall upright model. Yeah, they are a bit shorter than some of the taller old uprights of old, but pretty close. Terry Farrell > Having said all of this, appraising is not an exact science, which I > think is why we don't have a comprehensive guide of used piano prices. > > Good luck! > > will wickham > > On Apr 5, 2006, at 8:46 PM, ed miller wrote: > >> I understand that there is much more to appraising pianos than just >> knowing a single listed value, but I can't find a comprehensive >> guide to "list prices". >> >> The only book I know of is the The Piano Book by Larry Fine. I have >> not found it too useful because so often a particular piano or >> model piano I am looking for is not listed. >> >> Also the Piano Book doesn't factor date of manufacture into the >> listed value, all the pianos are listed according to model. I don't >> understand this.....Wouldn't a piano of the same model, but >> manufactured 30 years earlier be worth a different amount (whether >> it be more or less)? >> >> Can anyone help me understand this, and suggest some other >> resources to help me appraise pianos? >> >> Thanks, Ed >> > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/20060406/0878afb6/attachment.html
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