<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16481" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Good advice, Ed.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I went to the superstore site and looked at the grands.  I don't recognize a number of the names, but of the ones I do know, they're not offering much below, if at all, what I've seen in Peoria, Illinois.  I sort of like the Yamaha C3 Concert Grand....I guess they don't know what the C series is.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>What's really scary is they have offer a book, The Ultimate Piano Buyers Guide--available only at the superstore, of course. Just in the product info about the book, there are some pretty hideous grammar/spelling mistakes.  And in the topics, one is listed as "What they don't want you to know."  Sounds like tabloid stuff. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>Did you notice the blinking "learn how to become a dealer" line on the site? </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>How can people buy pianos without trying them--unless they're just buying furniture?  But even then, for such a large purchase wouldn't a person want to look things over?  I must be just plain old-fashioned.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Barbara Richmond, RPT</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>near Peoria, Illinois</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=ed440@mindspring.com href="mailto:ed440@mindspring.com">Ed Sutton</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=caut@ptg.org href="mailto:caut@ptg.org">College and University Technicians</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, July 25, 2007 9:02 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [CAUT] a different source to buy?</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Get an eBay account, click on "Watch this item" and see what happens.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Those amazing below wholesale brand new Yamahas never seem to sell, they get relisted, starting at a dollar, every day or less. But as you have seen, they are a very effective way to get people to go to the web site.  That's the gimmick - don't be the catch.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>For some honest information about piano prices, get a copy of the 2007-2008 Piano Book Supplement by Larry Fine.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Buying locally will support the piano economy in the town where you live.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ed S.  </FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=pwilliams4@unlnotes.unl.edu href="mailto:pwilliams4@unlnotes.unl.edu">Paul T Williams</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=caut@ptg.org href="mailto:caut@ptg.org">caut@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, July 24, 2007 1:30 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [CAUT] a different source to buy?</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV><BR><FONT face=sans-serif size=2>Hi all,</FONT> <BR><BR><FONT face=sans-serif size=2>While browsing e-bay I saw a "too good to be true" piano, brought to the site by "thepianosuperstore.com".  Has anyone dealt with them?  There was a brand new Yamaha C-2 delivered in the box for an unbelievably cheap price!  Actually well under $10,000.  This can't be right, can it?  It is so hard to trust people anymore, I just can't believe this could be the real price.  I didn't find any "catches" or gimmicks.  I would like to hear from you all :>)</FONT> <BR><BR><FONT face=sans-serif size=2>Thanks for the help in my search.</FONT> <BR><BR><FONT face=sans-serif size=2>Paul</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>