buying a piano on the Internet

[Dean May]

But somehow the public thinks we should know about all keyboard instruments,
just because we work on pianos

 

A true word indeed. Perhaps the best reason to at least try to be a little
familiar with the market. 

Dean

Dean May             cell 812.239.3359 

PianoRebuilders.com   812.235.5272 

Terre Haute IN  47802

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From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Willem Blees
Sent: Monday, October 22, 2007 11:27 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: buying a piano on the Internet

 

I like Ron's assement, but in all honesty, read the second to last
paragraph. It appears the buyer did a self evaluation and appraising, based
on books and articles he read.   

 

I have run across people like this who claim the previous tooner offered
$5000 for the piano. I quickly tell them to contact the tooner and get his
money. The other "appraisal" I've heard is: My neighbor's son's roomate's
father moved pianos for a local dealer when he was in college, and he, (the
neighbor, who now has a lineage that supposedly has some merit), claims the
piano is worth.....

 

On a serious note, appraising pianos can be very difficult. One does have to
have a knowledge of current market prices of both new and use pianos, and a
knowledge of what it takes to recondition, or even rebuild a piano. Not all
RPT's want to get in the business of appraising, just as not all RPT's want
to get in the business of working on players, much less organs. But somehow
the public thinks we should know about all keyboard instruments, just
because we work on pianos. 

 

 

Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT
Piano Tuner/Technician
Honolulu, HI
Author of 
The Business of Piano Tuning
available from Potter Press
www.pianotuning.com

 

-----Original Message-----
From: paul bruesch <paul at bruesch.net>
To: Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Mon, Oct 22 9:58 PM
Subject: Re: buying a piano on the Internet

I'm wondering if the appraiser was an RPT.

On 10/22/07, David and Jean Weiss <djweiss at ntelos.net> wrote: 

A client of mine forwarded me this advertisement for a piano he was
considering buying.  If you're in the mood to laugh read on.

David Weiss

 

 

Description of Piano from seller:
...the piano is a Beckwith Semi-Concert Grand Upright, manufactured in 1898.
The appraiser rated it in very good condition.  I will just tell you some of
the things that he noted.  The piano is an antique and will have additional
antique value because  of the carving and the cost to restore.  It was
totally refinished about 20 years ago and has been maintained in a climate
controlled home. The value of this piano is $3250.00 based on age,
condition, size, grade and rarity of the instrument.  Beckwith pianos were
made for Sears Roebuck.  Grands, Uprights and Players made by different
manufacturers marketed by Sears, who claim to have sold as many as 15,000
annually between 1883-1922.  Due to their towering height, these instruments
usually had string lengths and musical capabilities equal and often superior
to actual grand pianos, thus being labeled "Upright Grand" or "Cabinet
Concert Grand" by t! heir manufacturers.
  Unique and distinctive features of construction will be found in the
Beckwith Semi Concert Grand piano; the most important of those special
features is the sounding board construction which includes the Beckwith semi
Concert Grand bent acoustic rim. This gives the Beckwith upright the tone of
a grand piano and makes it especially well adapted for concert use. 
  "Cabinet Grand" is a term usually referring to certain large upright
pianos over 50" tall. ( this piano is 57" tall, 67" wide, and 28" deep ).  A
52" upright provides as much total soundboard area as a 7' grand piano.  Its
#1 bass string's length nearly matches that of a 6'3"grand.  In other words,
you get grand piano performance quality in a vertical instrument.
   The appraisal values are stated in U.S. dollars and are based on market
values from several sources.  Based on comparisons of pianos of this age,
condition and nature offered for sale in newspapers and the Internet by
private parties, music stores, auction houses and piano teachers.  These
values are certified through research in directories of the Music Industry,
such as, The Presto Piano Buyers Guide, The Pierce Musical Instrument Atlas,
The Encyclopedia of Automatic Musical Instruments and The Bluebook of
Pianos, and the Piano Times Newspaper
   Hope this isn't too much info!  The piano is very nice and in very good
condition.  I will say that we haven't had it tuned for awhile....our son
who played it the most has been away at college and then we decided not to
tune it since we were going to sell it.  It is not badly out of tune,
though.  It also has 2 or 3 soft keys, which could be adjusted by the tuner.


 

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