Worth it? was Baldwin warrantee

tune4u@earthlink.net tune4u@earthlink.net
Tue, 15 Apr 2003 23:04:39 -0500


This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
I had a Baldwin dealer call me (back in the Baldwin Baldwin days) and ask me
to go look at a new Chickering grand on which the una corda wasn't working.
He told me it would be a warranty job. Okay, says I, and I drive 40 miles to
the customer. Turns out to be just an adjustment of the pedal collar. Time
on site, 5-10 minutes. Baldwin told me they wouldn't pay for it as it should
have been handled as dealer prep or at delivery and setup. Dealer does not
understand the term "dealer prep," or much else about the piano business. He
paid me, eventually, but it all became a stupid hassle. Let's just say I
won't do any more calls for him. He lost his Baldwin contract in the
switchover (many small dealers did) and now sells Wal-Mart Pianos, i.e.,
Made in China.

My point: I don't get much dealer work and almost no warranty repairs out
here, but what little I've seen and stories I've heard suggest that neither
is really worth much to my business.

How does that notion fit in with the experience of others? How about you
city-slickers? Is it better in a bigger new-piano market?

Alan Barnard
Country-Slicker in Salem, MO
  -----Original Message-----
  From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]On
Behalf Of Jonathan Finger
  Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2003 10:02 PM
  To: 'Pianotech'
  Subject: RE: Baldwin warantee


  Yeah, read a post about that a couple months back.

  Legally, I can't think of any reason that Gibson would be liable for
Baldwin's work.  We might wish that they would stand behind the piano, but
they bought the factory, not baldwin's problems.  And certainly if they're
going to turn the business around, they're going to need to cut costs, not
incur them.



  I don't like it, but it makes perfect sense.  I wouldn't have expected
anything less. J





  Jonathan Finger RPT



  -----Original Message-----
  From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On
Behalf Of PatchWick@aol.com
  Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2003 6:49 PM
  To: pianotech@ptg.org
  Subject: Baldwin warantee



  Hey list:

  I recently was called to tune a 10 year old Baldwin console. Turns out
that the pin block is totally separated from the frame (end to end and top
to bottom). The frame posts are all loose at the top as well. The local
Baldwin dealer checked with the factory (now owned by Gibson) to see if they
would replace/repair this piano under the original warantee. Turns out that
not only will they NOT honor this warantee but that the warantees on all the
brand new Baldwins on his sales floor were null and void as well. Any
thoughts?

  Thanks
  will wickham

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/5d/de/a8/62/attachment.htm

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--


This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC