buying pianos

[Isaac Sadigursky]

Hi,Diane!  O boy!!!!! I'm still learning new aspects of this trade...How a
real SCHNUCK can benefit from naïve,honest,knowledgeable  people like
you...A valuable lesson to learn!!!!  My old  boss used to employ 5 tuners
and every time he will spot a piano for sale,he will send us [depending on
geographical location] to inspect this piano..He always carried a
screwdriver and a flashlight for inspection,but on more expancive purchases
will depend on technicians evaluations and recommendations..
The buttom line,when purchasing a piano from a private individual, is to
take as much as possible in piano cabinetry  as a collateral to make this
piano  NOT re-sellable.. thanx again for your contribution. I'm e-mailing
all those postings to those 2 technicians.....isaac

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Diane Hofstetter
Sent: Sunday, February 17, 2008 12:43 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: buying pianos


Issac, 

It happened to us, as a compeitior's modus operendi.  He was not
knowledgeable about pianos, although he was a musician.  When he purchased a
small used piano store in the village, he figured out how to replenish his
stock.  He told everyone who phoned his store, trying to sell their used
pianos, that they should call Hofstetters to come give them a price, then
tell us they would "think about it", then call him and he would give him $50
more than anything we said. 

 We didn't know it was happening until one day, when a seller, who saw how
thouroughly we looked the piano over, and how we showed him all about the
piano, felt remorse and blurted out what was happening.

It really stymied us for quite awhile.  Here we were doing his work, and we
WERE thourough.

One thing your friends should do, since they have given a deposit, is take
part of the piano with them--the action, for example.  Of course, the best
thing to do in your described situations, is to have enough cash on them and
take as much of the piano as possible on the spot.
Diane


buying pianos
Isaac Sadigursky irs.pianos at earthlink.net 
List!

Recently,I had received calls from 2 younger technicians,who are trying to
supplement their tuning business with selling and renting inexpancive,entry
level pianos..

Both of them had some negative experience when they bought piano from a
private party for agreeable price,left $100 depozit and went to the bank or
ATM machine to get the rest of the money By  the time they came to pay for
piano,the seller had sold it to somebody else for a few $$ more..Depozit was
returned to them on the spot,legal recource was out of the question.What
could be done to 'seal the deal" and avoid this cituation???? Hopefully,more
experienced Listers can share their wisdom. Thanx in advance    Isaac.



Diane Hofstetter