[pianotech] NY Times article on pianos

[Paul Williams]

No, pianos are not monitary "investments" at all unless you're a
rebuilder, for the most part.  Sure, some people buy from a neophite some
Steinway upright for $100 and then just fix it up a bit and sell for $2000
or more, but that's not everyday stuffs.

  
People buy pianos, usually, only as an investment in their musical
experience, kids education, a musicians friend or what have you.  I know
very very few people who would ever consider investing real $$ into a
piano as an appreciating value.  They're not like art. Only the very
uneducated think that. Sure The Kitchen Piano would be a great find, but
unplayable and not ever going on sale from NY. It's worth more left alone!

Pianos are like a car: You buy one, drive it until it costs too much to
fix, get another. Only the Ferrari owner buys the car for the investment.
But then again, that person doesn't use the car as a daily drive either.

I guess I'm rearranging my first remarks to David's.  Oh, the wise one!
So is Larry, ...I guess...:>(

So we're all going to pasture other than tuning for the future or what???
I'm not liking the outlook at all.  I don't totally rebuild anything, I
send them out....but where am I when I have a '20's Steinway L with need
for full thing...and they've all gone away???  I love to restring a new
bridge/soundboard/pinblock!  Its just a great thing I love to do.  Also
action stacks from original.  I can't do soundboards, etc, nor can I make
new keysets. I love how many folks out there are now specialized!  Please
keep that up! :>) It wasn't so easy to find 20 years ago.

It might not happen in my career, but it's going to happen to future
"generations"... I think the "rebuilder" is going to get harder and harder
to find. Im in the almost getting older generation.  Hopefully, there's a
few good rebuilders left! I'm hoping for 20 more years at this.


What say you folks?

Paul




On 7/30/12 2:28 PM, "Joseph Garrett" <joegarrett at earthlink.net> wrote:

>David Love said: 
>"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..."
>
>Define "investment".<G> If you are looking at it, strickly, from a
>financial standpoint, I'll give you that. However, you cannot put a $ sign
>on sheer aesthetic beauty of the furniture designs, the musical beauty,
>and
>the longevity. Name one thing, other than a house, that continues to last
>as long, with minimum amount of $ for maintainence? There is none, imo.
>(not even the $ invested in your kids!<G>) Not to mention the establisment
>of learning music, scholastic achievement, mental stability, (all of which
>have been written up in medical journals and such), and a sense of value
>in
>those things of years gone by. As for the dollar values that you put on
>"rebuilding"? Everyone needs to realize that you are quoting California
>prices, which are unlike any other part of the world.<G>
>That's my take on that.
>Joe
>
>
>Joe Garrett, R.P.T.
>Captain of the Tool Police
>Squares R I
>
>