<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><FONT SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0">In a message dated 10/11/02 4:05:25 PM Central Daylight Time, pianotuna@accesscomm.ca writes:<BR>
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<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Hi Wim,<BR>
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I don't agree at all with that statement. Prices for pianos are so<BR>
negotiable. Some of the Korean product are now, imho, as good as the<BR>
Japanese--but at a much better price.<BR>
<BR>
</BLOCKQUOTE><BR>
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Lets look at the prices. Now I'm quoting Ancott, and these are MSRP. I realize dealers are willing to come down form these prices. But for comparison sake, lets keep them at regular retail. <BR>
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Looking at 50" to 52" studios, in order, from least expensive. <BR>
Pearl River 51 $3490 China<BR>
Krakauer 50 $3500 China<BR>
Bergman 52 $3590 China<BR>
Ritmuller 51 $3920 China<BR>
Weber 52 $4880 China <BR>
Kohler & Campbell 52 $5390 S.Korea<BR>
Samick 52 $5390 S.Korea<BR>
Hyundai 52 $5598 S.Korea<BR>
Hallet & Davis 52 $5680 S. Korea<BR>
Young Chang 52 $5990 S.Korea<BR>
Story & Clark 53 $5990 China<BR>
Reiger Kloss 50 $6790 Czech<BR>
Weinbach 50 $7100 Czech<BR>
Seidle & Sons 50 $7236 Czech<BR>
Petrof 50 $7500 Czech<BR>
Kawai 50 $7790 Japan<BR>
Pramberger 52 $9390 SKorea<BR>
Schulze Pullman 50 $9900 Itally<BR>
Petrof 52 $10018 Czech<BR>
Baldwin 52 $10310 US<BR>
Kawai 52 $10490 Japan<BR>
Yamaha 52 $10790 Japan<BR>
Boston 52 $11540 Japan<BR>
<BR>
Schimmel 52 $18,200 Germany<BR>
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Now which one of the South Korea, other than the Pramberger Series, are, in your opinion, of the same quality than the Japanese, or Czech products. I would grant that the Pramberger series is probably of the same quality, but I have not had any experience with that model. But then the price is right up there with the other pianos.<BR>
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Wim </FONT></HTML>