> I am curious about others opinions on the long term future of the piano business. Piano dealers are going under right and > left. Used pianos are at historic lows and even then do not sell. There will always be tuning and rebuilding business > since there are still millions of pianos out there. But do you feel about the long term growth of our field. I think your fears are highly unfounded. The piano business is alive and well. You are forgetting that we are in a very down economy. Many dealers have gone out of business all over the country for a variety of reasons. Factors also include aspects such as location, local market, and management. Other areas are the complete opposite. Newer products such as PianoDisc is creating whole new markets for people who would otherwise never own a piano, the inertia of which is really just beginning since the majority of the population is only now discovering these products. Digital pianos have had "some" impact on the market but not as you might think. Digitals have a much shorter life span and like computers each new generation makes the previous models obsolete and I have seen many now sharing the fate of the 70's electronic organs-- in the dumpster! I implore you to take heart, the piano business is alive and well and like all other cyclical durable goods it will be coming back in huge numbers in the near future. Rob Goodale, RPT Las Vegas, NV
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