Dealer

[Les Smith]

Dave:

You left out the most important part, how does the piano SOUND? I
have seen some beautiful LOOKING Steinways (and others) that you
could put on a leash and take for a walk around the block! The
sound, or the voice of the piano is what's important. Other prob-
lems can be corrected. The price sounds reasonable--neither a great
deal, nor a ripoff. The real question is, "Do you really want to
get invloved as a deal-killer in this situation?" Especially with
someone who is not a regular client? Life as a tech is hard enough
without putting yourself in the middle of situations like this. I
find it curious that the other tech's evaluation wasn't available
to look at when you went to see the piano. Could it be that he thought
that piano was a fair deal at the price and that the women is just 
going to keep calling techs until she finds someone who will give
her an excuse to break the deal? Sounds like it to me!

Les Smith 

On Sun, 17 Aug 1997, David ilvedson wrote:

> Dear List,
> 
> I received a call from a lady who lives in San Francisco but is 
> currently working in Vienna.  She had just bought a Steinway M 
> from a local store a few weeks earlier with the stipulation that 
> a technician needed to OK the condition of the instrument.  By 
> the way she had another technician check it out before me but 
> wanted a second opinion (I haven't heard what his report was 
> yet).   The deal with the dealer was that they only got M's 3 or 
> 4 times a year and this was quite a instrument.  She paid them 
> $22,000 for the piano.   I thought this was a bit high and wrote 
> to that effect (We were conversing via E-mail).  She was 
> concerned that it might have teflon and that it might be a CBS 
> Steinway.  I wrote her that teflon is not the kiss of death and 
> that I have a number of customers with beautiful Steinways with 
> teflon.  The piano was built in 1965 and according to Stephen 
> Dove of Steinway that puts it before CBS.  Anyhoo I went and 
> inspected it yesterday.  The piano looks good, ebony case in 
> good shape.  The bench has a number of scratches that they have 
> touched up.  Most of the keytops are cracked, one bass string 
> has been replaced and about an octave in the treble has newer 
> strings (poor workmanship with the replacements).  
> Evidence of hard playing in my opinion.  Action in poor 
> regulation.  Pulled action...hammers, shanks and flanges are 
> new.  Not Steinway parts.  Good quality though.  Wippens still 
> have teflon but seem to be in good shape.  Treble bridge has a 
> small section with minor hairline cracks.  Soundboard is 
> perfect.  
> 
> What do you folks think?  I wrote her that I wasn't very 
> impressed and would have expected something much more for that 
> kind of money.  Such as a pristine instrument in original 
> condition that had hardly been played.  I would appreciate any 
> advice in this situation as she wants to pull out of the deal 
> and wants me to give something in writing for the dealer.  
> Ach!!!  I have litte or no connection with the dealer (although 
> they did throw a new piano sale service my way a few weeks ago).
> I don't think they are going to be happy campers!
> 
> David Ilvedson, RPT
> Pacifica, CA
> ilvey
> Pacifica, CA
> ilvey@a.crl.com
>