Good pianos for schools?

[Andrew and Rebeca Anderson]

Steve,
Sauter has a piano specifically built for school/institutional 
use.  It has big casters well outboard, steel grab bars each 
end.  Locking case, long music desk and a Rapid Repetition (RR2) 
action.  Sauter has won open bidding contracts against Yamaha and Kawai.
http://www.sauter-pianos.de/english/pianos/classic-line/school-piano.html
I chose to carry Sauter pianos because they are the best buy in 
high-end pianos.  The dollar-slide has put a crimp into our 
competitiveness but high-quality and an established (European) 
reputation for  longevity should also play into the decision-making process.

Good Luck,
Andrew Anderson

At 08:11 AM 3/16/2008, you wrote:
>   Does anyone have any recommendations for pianos that will hold up 
> in a school? The local public schools might be getting some new 
> ones. In the past 15 years they have bought some Walter studios and 
> some Boston studios. They have not held up well in the very dry to 
> very humid conditions in the school buildings. Some of the schools 
> have upgraded to geo-thermal systems. I don't like these at all. It 
> is just as dry in the winter as before but now you have forced air 
> drying things out more. I have always recommended the P22's but 
> have not worked on any of the Chinese made ones. I know no piano 
> will do very good under these conditions. The school district does 
> a pretty good job of taking care of the pianos. Music programs are 
> still important in the schools here. Price is always a concern. 
> There are still some of the 40-50 year old Hamilton pianos that 
> some teachers prefer over the newer stuff. Too bad they don't make 
> them like those. Any suggestions will help.
>
>  Thanks,  Steve Sandstrom