Hi Jay, I would recommend you sell them a full damppchaser system at just above your cost price. The grade A grey market pianos I have seen tend to start growing *green* corrosion very quickly. :( At 12:02 PM 5/7/99 PDT, you wrote: >List, > >If you're not in the mood for a semi-long story, then I'd hit your back >button right now. : ) > >Two things I want to talk about here: > >1. The 1990 Kawai CA-40 serial #1988945 does indeed have the document >holder located on the inner rim. Jim B. says that indicates a grey market >piano. So, I've accepted the fact that I ordered a grey market piano for a >well-known elderly woman who donated it to our local retirement village. I >am neutral in the grey market matter, because I don't have enough experience >with them to form an opinion. Right now, there are three pedals, a flawless >finish and the entire action seems in perfect regulation. All parts look >fine. I played it for a half hour and am very happy with the response, >tone, clarity etc... >So I'll have to wait for 5 years for the real verdict. > >2. Again, I was asked by an elderly woman to find a "good" grand piano. She >didn't want the best (which to her meant $20,000 on up) but simply wanted >something that would stand out above the rest (in this town that's not >difficult - Glenwood is population 2500.) To me that meant to find a used >grand piano, preferably Kawai or Yamaha, since it seems these are easy to >find and there aren't any grands in this town other than YC. I consider >both brands very good pianos and found several prospects in the $10,000 - >$14,000 range. > >Since I am fairly new to the area, about 3 years, I am always trying to make >new contacts with local musicians, clients, and of course, dealers. There >is a town 15 miles from Glenwood with a population of 10,000 in the city, >3,000 in the country. There are two piano dealers that both sell YC >products, Samick and Story and Clark. I decided to approach the smaller >dealer since he was a good friend of one of my closest friends - I know, >yakatee yakatee yak. : ) > >This dealer sells 42" Story & Clarks and Weber Grands. Not much inventory, >pretty small time. But hey, he is a nice guy so what the heck........ > >He tells me that for any pianos outside of his product line, he goes through >a dealer in Chicago. I called and told him what I was looking for but did >not reveal the price range. He later called back with a fax list of about >300 grands. He asked about the price range at that time and I said to keep >it under $12,000. He then proceeded with the possibilities. We finally >narrowed it down to four different pianos - a 1990 Kawai, a 1998 Kawai "for >just a little bit more money," and 2 Yamaha grands for around $13,000. > >I asked for information on the serial number, year, condition, finish and >length. I typed up the list of four pianos (nicely typed too) and presented >it to the buyer. She didn't want to choose but wanted my assurance on the >'90 Kawai. I told her about the grading system and that a 1990 Grade A >Kawai 6' Grand would be a great piano for the retirement home chapel. So it >was decided. > >I called the dealer and told him to go ahead with the '90 Kawai. He said he >needed $5,000 down and the remaining balance of $6,200 after the piano >arrives. No problem. > >The next day he calls me and says "Jay, I ordered it! Exciting huh!" Then >he asks for the $5,000. I called the client relaying the money thing. She >paid the down money 3 days later. > >The piano arrives from California 3 weeks later. I was nervous because this >was my first time with this type of deal. By the way, it was understood >with the dealer, client and myself what take we would get for the service. >$500 to the dealer plus a huge article in our local newspaper about the >piano and what dealer it came from, $150 to me for my time, $250 to the >movers from California, and $200 to the local movers. Those are the going >rates around these parts at least for movers and techs. I was also nervous >because I didn't know if this piano would be regulated. If it was out of >regulation, that would have been my time donated. > >The piano arrived better than I had hoped for. See #1 above. Piano looks >and plays great. The client pays the balance for a total of $11,200 and >everything is peachy. > >HOWEVER! ....... When they were unloading off the van I noticed the serial >number was different from the one the dealer told me on the phone. After a >couple of days I started thinking how could this be. The thought of >deception really started to depress me. > >So yesterday I recieve my $150 check from the dealer. He asks if the >clients were happy with the piano and I said yes. After he wrote the check >I mentioned that I too was happy with the whole deal - except for one thing. > "The only thing that bugs me about this deal is that the serial number is >different from the one you told me on the phone." > >His face turned bright red and he quickly stated "Oh, I must have given you >the wrong number. You know those fax sheets have such small print." He then >told me he needs new glasses. I didn't say anything at all. It was >complete silence. I couldn't stand it anymore so I turned the subject into >the grey piano market. The atmosphere lightened up as he listened to what I >regurgitated from this list. He looked puzzled like he had never heard of >the grey market. > >The original serial number he gave me was 1988966. The piano that arrived >was 1988945. Both pianos are listed as 1990 Kawais in the Atlas. > >So.....any comments??? > >If it weren't for the fact that I am very happy with the piano, the clients >are happy with the piano, and I don't want to stir up any commotion in this >small town, I think this dealer would be in hot water. I let it go. But he >and I both know from it won't happen again. > >Jay Mercier >Piano Tech. / Teacher >Glenwood, MN > > > > >_______________________________________________________________ >Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com > > Regards, Don Rose, B.Mus., A.M.U.S., A.MUS., R.M.T., R.P.T. Tuner for the Saskatchewan Centre of the Arts drose@dlcwest.com http://www.dlcwest.com/~drose/ 3004 Grant Rd. REGINA, SK S4S 5G7 306-352-3620 or 1-888-29t-uner
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