I use a dollar route. In NE Pennsylvania I can get from 750 to maybe 1500 for a good playing nice looking solid old upright in its original finish. IF the case is workable. The fancier the case, the better the price. I have two talented touch-up men that do amazing things to these old finishes for anywhere from 50 to 150 dollars. In other words, for this piano I start with what I think I can sell it for when it's ready, for example it has the 'appearance' of a $1200 piano. Next subtract the move to my shop, $150, and an average move to the buyer, $150. Next subtract what you will have to do to get it ready: Pitch raise, $35, Fine Tune, $65, Bridge reinforced with super glues, $15 (Slight splitting acceptable), a set of straps, $75, tighten and repair action, $75?, voice hammers and a decent regulation without going crazy, $100, a follow up fine tuning after delivery, $65, and estimated brief visit to fix something under warranty, $35. Ok, this comes to $735. Now if I sell this for 1200, I profit on top of all other work $465 dollars. Not too bad. Because of all this money I'm going to put into this thing, I won't offer a seller more than $100 or $150. By the way, I do this arithmetic right in front of the seller, including the part about a 30% profit. Nobody expects you to buy and sell and not make a profit. And If the seller comes to your shop and sees his piano he sold you for $150 now priced at $1200 he should not be offended, because you have been up front with him all the way. Also, I don't buy any old upright that doesn't have a good big sound, from top to bottom. It's gotta have a HEART!! Ask questions. If painted, don't take it, unless it's unusually good. A great piano painted is hardly worth anything. Folks won't buy it, and refinishing time or costs run it out of the market. If it's missing many ivories, recovering keys must be figured in. I figure around $175. There is another small market for LARGER FANCIER uprights. There are some folks out there turning those into nikelodians using all new player actions available from two or three different makers. Locally we have a refinishing antique restoration shop that retools the cases beautifully, for about $1200 including stained glass top and bottom, and another fellow who builds in the mechanism, for about $2700. Piano techs usually get the piano part in tidy condition, varying from 300 to 1500, and then they resell these impressive 'antiques' for $8000 to $12000. We have one fine upright here now, a Janssen , that I got cheap, needing not much work, and well worth new hammers. Imadagewa. This thing is wonderful to play. It's already sold, $1400. Don't collect pianos. Buy pianos that can be put back into good service affordably. Roger C. Hayden, RPT On Sat, 11 Mar 2000 13:14:07 EST Wimblees@AOL.COM writes: > In a message dated 3/10/00 6:16:07 AM Pacific Standard Time, > btnaudio@flash.net writes: > > << Does anyone have suggestions for how not to own 25 pianos after a > year in > the business? >> > > ________________________________________________________________ YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET! Juno now offers FREE Internet Access! Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.
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