Ed: Most of the manufacturers (except Steinway) engage in these school loan programs now. For the most part they are a very good deal, particularly if the brand is a good one. On the downside, just when the pianos are getting stabilized, after a year's worth of tuning, they are sold and a new (unstable) crop arrives. So they will need extra tuning. Also, there is some disagreement within the industry about the ethics involved when a sale takes place at a university, with the implicit idea that the brand and sale are endorsed by the school. Dealers sometimes advertise that it's a school sale, rather than a commercial sale. Usually, many other new pianos are trucked in for the sale event (sometimes other brands) and the school pianos are used as bait to get the customers in. The dealer is also likely to ask for use of the school's alumni mailing list for the sale. Better think about these things in advance. Also make sure that the agreement with the dealer concerning servicing is clear, whatever it happens to be. All things considered, this is a very good deal for schools that are strapped for funds. Just make sure that you are getting the pianos you want (brand, model), not just what's the cheapest deal for the school, and that the dealer is honorable and agreements are clear. Larry Fine
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