Piano Fiasco

[Farrell]

Tuned for a new client this evening. They just bought their first piano a
couple months ago. First tuning. The lady asked me what I thought the piano
was worth. 1985 Yamaha C3. Very good condition. Sounds real nice. Real
clean. I told her you could figure somewhere around a 25% loss in value
every five or ten years. A C3 now costs about $20,000. So figure hers might
be worth somewhere between $10,000 to $13,000 at a dealer, and perhaps
$8,000 to $11,000 in a private sale.

She looked at me in horror and told me that she had just paid $19,000 for
the piano. She bought it at a dealer blowout - 50% off -
going-out-of-business sale. Now perhaps it is not good to mention names
here, so I won't. I'll just call the dealer (which I understand is the
largest dealer chain in the US) Mr. B. Now you may ask why the subject of
this post has the word "Fiasco". Maybe there was a reason. She said the
piano had a sign on it (as did all the pianos in the store) that said
"Originally $38,000". And at 50% off, that is where the $19,000 came from.

When I got home I typed her serial number into the Yamaha web site. Grey
market (it had three working pedals).

So, tell me, does anyone have any experience with a similar situation? Is
there any recourse this woman might have? I know that when two parties agree
on a price for an item, that's it - it's a deal. But I suspect one could
argue a pretty clear case of fraud here. This is not stretching things a
bit, this is total misrepresentation, lying, etc. Any thoughts?

The poor woman was beside herself. Half way through the tuning she said her
husband would be coming home soon and asked if I would please not say
anything about the piano value issue. I just hope the purchase was a mutual
decision, and not one that she had pushed for.   :-(

She thought she had made such a good deal (hey, 50% off) that even if she
did not end up playing it much, they could sell it at a profit and pay off
some of their student loans (they are both mid-20s, just out of graduate
school, just bought their first house). Not bloody likely.

There are a few people in this business that are just plain garbage. I
really have quite a few more colorful words at the tip of my tongue, but
I'll leave it at that.

Terry Farrell