Hardman Peck

[Shawn Brock]

Will,

I think people are misunderstanding my intentions here.  I have never had any intentions of going into piano retail, I'm 99 percent technician.  I am just looking at carrying between 1 and 3 pianos at a time.  Yes the Hardman Peck is Chinese.  We are talking about uprights that start at $1300 wholesale.  So I don't know that it would be a major business risk for me.  After all, I have sold used pianos that I have had as much money in.  The 2 things that makes it easier for me to move product is I can play it and I can work on it.  People seem to trust and respect you more when you can do one or the other or both.  The dealers here can't do either vary well.  I think you guys are correct in your thinking, but I don't think you got a clear perception on what I was trying to ask.  Sorry for my lack of clarity.  So, that's the bottom line, I'm just looking to shove a few pianos into the back of my shop and get rid of them as I can.  Gosh!  I would never want to get a retail space...  

Best,
Shawn Brock, RPT
513-316-0563
www.shawnbrock.com
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Will Truitt 
  To: 'Pianotech List' 
  Sent: Friday, October 24, 2008 6:37 PM
  Subject: RE: Hardman Peck


  Shawn:

   

  In general, I agree with Wim.  I was a Baldwin and Young Chang dealer for 7 years  until 2002.  I never worked so hard for so little money and so much risk.  And that was when the market was still good, a low volume, high margin business, whereas  now it is an even lower volume, low margin business.  

   

  I would ask you this:  If these well positioned and experienced dealers can't make it work in this economy, what do you bring to the table that would lead you to believe that you will have a different result?  If you want to go ahead anyway, buy  one or a very few with cash and be able to let that money sit in those pianos for as long as it takes to sell them.  That may be longer than you think.  I don't know the Hardman Peck (probably Chinese?), but I would say only that it has no name recognition and the name won't be meaningful to your potential buyers.  What is your business plan to market these pianos?

   

  I don't mean to rain on your parade.  I can tell you that in this market, I have no desire to be a piano dealer again.

   

  Best wishes,

   

  Will Truitt

   

   

   

  From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of wimblees at aol.com
  Sent: Friday, October 24, 2008 2:28 PM
  To: pianotech at ptg.org
  Subject: Re: Hardman Peck

   

  Shawn

  Unless you have the capital to buy them outright, I would not recommend you get in the new piano market, even on a limited basis. It looks glorious, but in the long run, it will drive you out of business.  For what you have to pay for the new pianos, and make a profit, you'll be money ahead if you bought used pianos with that money. And I would definitely stay out of the new piano business if you have to finance them. The interest will kill you. Stay with the used market for now.

  Take it from someone who's been there, done that, and lost his shirt. 

  Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT
  Piano Tuner/Technician
  Mililani, Oahu, HI
  808-349-2943
  Author of: 
  The Business of Piano Tuning
  available from Potter Press
  www.pianotuning.com



  -----Original Message-----
  From: Shawn Brock <shawnbrock at fuse.net>
  To: Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org>
  Sent: Fri, 24 Oct 2008 9:04 am
  Subject: Hardman Peck

  List:

   

  in this sputtering economy and with every piano dealer in Cincinnati crying about not making the capital to stay afloat I'm looking for something new to add to my arsenal.  That something is new piano sales.  For a while I have been picking up used pianos to push out the door as rentals or in the case of the nicer instruments good old cash on the barrel head.  I would like to pick up new pianos that are decent but not priced unrealistically, or are not junk!  Anyone have thoughts on the Hardman Peck?  You can email me privately if you like.  Most of the economical piano lines are taken for a while, but these guys have an opening and I need to decide something fairly soon.  I know I have worked on a few of these, but its just that, a few and I would like to get the thoughts of some of you who might be more experienced with this product.  How do they compare with Hallet Davis or other similar lines? ! ; Thanks as always!

   

  Shawn Brock, RPT

  513-316-0563

  www.shawnbrock.com

   


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