[pianotech] NY Times article on pianos

[David Love]

I don't know, I think those Yamaha U series pianos sound pretty good, at least the new ones, and while the cases are more streamlined and modern, many aren't locked into victorian aesthetics.  The old uprights do sometimes have nice cases, and if you put a new soundboard in with a new action they will sound and perform great. But it may well cost you 30K. That''s fine too if the customer wants to do that and knows what that means in terms of the value of the instrument. That was my point.  

As I said, I have no problem with someone making that kind of commitment but for most it's completely unrealistic and makes no sense. It's too bad because there are many potentially fine instruments out there, but that's the reality.

Buying a piano has never been a good "investment", not monetarily. Well, except maybe when the rate of inflation hits 20 percent.  At least then it makes it seem like one.  Once you drive them off the lot...

David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com
(sent from bb)

-----Original Message-----
From: "Joseph Garrett" <joegarrett at earthlink.net>
Sender: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org
Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2012 11:22:40 
To: pianotech<pianotech at ptg.org>
Reply-To: joegarrett at earthlink.net, pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] NY Times article on pianos

David Love said: 
"We may not like hearing it but fundamentally Fine is correct. It's pretty
hard to ask a customer to spend the thousands it takes to restore an old
upright when they can buy a new Yamaha U1 for $7000." 
 
 
David et al,
That's all fine and dandy, if money is the object. What does one get for
that $7k? Tonally? Not acceptable to me. Aesthetically?DEFINATELY NOT
acceptable to me! I guess it'd be o.k. if I don't mind HD particle board
and shiny black. The company is great in terms of customer satisfaction,
imo. They bend over backwards for us techs. All that is to their credit.
However, butt ugly musically and looks, just don't make it for me. Sorry.
I'm a rebuilder. I put those olde, mouse infested, family treasures back to
what they once were. My clients appreciate that and are willing to pay the
price. Ever since the "entry level" garbage hit the market we've
experienced lesser than stellar pianos, (I hesitate to even use the
word.<G>), that will not last half as long as all those beautiful olde
uprights and grands of the days gone by. Sad. It used to be that buying a
piano was a long term good investment.
Respectfully,
Joe


Joe Garrett, R.P.T.
Captain of the Tool Police
Squares R I