[CAUT] To buy New or Rebuilt?

[Dennis Johnson]

Paul-

Thanks, but it probably won't be all that exciting....  I did push we be
open to available European makes as you mention, but it's most unlikely that
will lead to any trip out of the country.  Some of our piano faculty are
particularly interested in nice old Mason & Hamlin Grands.  Unfortunately
there aren't as many of these in the Midwest as you see on either coast.

Keep praying then, and whatever else required to improve your facility with
basic requirements.  Maybe they should try and fill in those steps
permanently to make it a ramp?  That wouldn't cost much.  We just got a
proper service elevator added to our new building plans but still working on
door expansions.  The sound proof doors are expensive.

cheers,

D.



On Tue, Oct 12, 2010 at 3:40 PM, Paul T Williams <
pwilliams4 at unlnotes.unl.edu> wrote:

> Way Cool, Dennis!
>
> I can only pray for this!!  Our old building is ready for rebuilding.  It's
> a structure from the mid 60"s with very little than upkeep done to it these
> past nearly 50 years.  There are these nasty 3-steps in the middle going
> from North to south parts of the buiilding on ground floor and basement. Who
> knows why this architect got this job. NE is flat for crying outloud! The
> classroom doors are all single, except for the choir and orch doors, there
> is no freight elevator, the current elevator can only hold a Steinway
> B....etc etc.  I can tell a milliion other tales.
>
> Great job on getting to "shop"!  Do you get to go to NY Steinway, Hamburg,
> Lepzig, (for Bluthners!)  and on and on.  I'd love to hear about this!
>
> Paul
>
>
>
>  From: Dennis Johnson <johnsond at stolaf.edu> To: caut at ptg.org Date: 10/12/2010
> 03:20 PM Subject: Re: [CAUT] To buy New or Rebuilt?
> ------------------------------
>
>
>
> Hi Ron-
>
> My original post probably wasn't clear on that point.  We will be expanding
> into a second building scheduled to open January 2012, and that means
> purchasing quite a few pianos.  Current estimate is that we will need at
> least 50 and I'm down to 3 grands left on my out-of- service-and-in-storage
> rebuild wait list.  Those are all old Baldwins.  We are in process of
> weaning off a Yamaha lease program also so some will certainly be new
> Yamahas, but our department feels strongly about a diverse inventory.  When
> all this happens I expect to have some fun shopping..
>
> best,
>
> Dennis Johnson
> St. Olaf College
> Northfield, MN.
> __________
>
> On Tue, Oct 12, 2010 at 2:07 PM, Ron Nossaman <*rnossaman at cox.net*<rnossaman at cox.net>>
> wrote:
> On 10/12/2010 1:35 PM, Dennis Johnson wrote:
> Thank you Ron for the imput.  I wish we had more examples of your work
> in the area here!
> In only a general way I was comparing the complete cost of buying an old
> instrument that is thoroughly rebuilt, not simply the cost of rebuilding
> a piano we already own. I admit to not being exactly current with these
> costs, but I have seen beautifully remanufactured and refinished old
> grands for sale at prices comparable to new.
>
>
> thanks again,
>
> Hi Dennis,
> I obviously don't know your situation. I assumed you were talking about
> replacing old pianos with new instead of rebuilding the old. Are you without
> pianos altogether, or is the old dead inventory not worth rebuilding (all
> Brambachs and Starcks? <G>)? No need to buy rebuilt pianos if you already
> own worthy carcasses that can be rebuilt.
>
> Just trying to understand what's being discussed here.
> Ron N
>
>
>
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