[CAUT] 1098; My faulty math?

[Jeff Tanner]

Hi Jim,
The math is faulty because the formula is messed up.

Let's look at 1098s purchased in 1967 for $1,600, which are still going
strong, and when sold today would bring at least what you paid for them, 
and, depending on the application they were used for, could potentially 
bring $2000 - $3000.

That's how you do the math on the Steinway.

Tanner

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Busby" <jim_busby at byu.edu>
To: <caut at ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, December 05, 2008 8:33 AM
Subject: Re: [CAUT] 1098; My faulty math?


All,

After 5 years of tuning 12 1098s I gotta admit that I like them. Yea,
quirky, and they require a solid tuning technique (Seems they require about
5-10 minutes more than other uprights) but the sound and touch are great.
Never thought I'd say that. :-)

Now, here is a very different problem with them that we have here at BYU.
Our procedure has been to buy new uprights every 18 years. sell the old ones
before they get too beat up. We can't do that with the 1098s. Too expensive,
and we can't get the bucks back out of them.

Here is an example;

20 years ago we bought P22s for about $2,000.00 and sold them this year for
$1,600.00 in fairly good condition, people happy to buy them. Do the math.
Net cost, not counting inflation, etc. is $400.00 over 20 years, or $20.00
per year!!!! How can that be??

If we buy a 1098 today for say $15,000.00 (???, I don't know the current
price) and 20 years from now sell it, we certainly won't get top dollar for
it! Maybe $5,000.00? Then we'd have to buy a new piano. Maybe $20,000.00?
The numbers don't work at all. That's about $500.00 or so per year X 20
pianos each year... Then we have to fork out an amount of money that would
purchase about 5 P22s? That's why we won't do it. The math doesn't favor it.

Jim Busby BYU



-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of
Richard Brekne
Sent: Friday, December 05, 2008 12:42 AM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Steinway 1098

Hi Chris.

I'd like to voice agreement with the majority of posts so far on this.
The 1098 is a fine instrument... albeit with its quirks.  If you like
the sound you do... personal preference on subjective things like sound
are ones own business and hardly belong as a part of an all This or That
School decision making process in the context this tangent is going.
That issue is a much larger one that needs to be resolved as part of the
basic direction the school wants to go in the first place... i.e.
variety or not.

Rendering has in my reading of criticisms been the most consistent
criticism of 1098's through the years. As part of any tuning experience
learning to anticipate rendering vs pin movement in the block... along
with all other tuning technique issues is just another one of those
things you get good at with practice. The 1098 is in the end just about
as easy a task as any other instrument...tho perhaps a bit different.
They play well and hold up as well or better then most.

Not my favorite piano from my own personal sense of musicality mind
you.  But I see no reason at all to advise against these if the school
has decided to opt for the ALL one piano route.


Cheers
RicB