Grey Market Pianos?

[John Musselwhite]

At 09:08 AM 3/6/2001 -0800, Joe G wrote:

>I have a client, who bought their Grand Piano in South Africa. They have 
>since moved to Oregon. This is a rather odd construction piano w/water 
>pipe for pedal lyre columns!

Got a picture you can upload to the EGroup by chance?

>It is a Yamaha. Would this piano be considered a Grey Market Piano? If so, 
>then why should they be denied proper parts and service, just because they 
>once lived in South Africa and LEGALLY PURCHASED it from a Yamaha Dealer? 
>At present time, the piano does not have any problems, but if and when it 
>does, what am I going to tell them? Somethings wrong with this picture! 
>Any comments would be appreciated.

This is just a personal observation, but I suspect there are two 
differences here: "provenance" and warranty.  This isn't just another 
imported piano from an unknown practice room in Tokyo purchased from a 
fly-by-night dealer somewhere. If it's still under warranty and the 
original warranty reads "world-wide" they have to support the warranty.

In addition, the piano still belongs to the original purchaser, so until 
they sell it, it hasn't been on any shade of market at all, grey, black or 
whatever. That being said, if it's off warranty I doubt Yamaha USA could 
"support" the piano any more than Volkswagon USA would be able to support 
an imported Mexican Beetle.

An imported Mexican Beetle would be a good example of a "grey market" 
product if it were possible to register them here. The State won't sanction 
them because the serial numbers show they don't pass American safety 
standards. Grey market pianos don't have "safety standards" as such, but 
there are other standards such as moisture content when built that they 
fail to meet, so the manufacturer won't sanction them. In both cases the 
rules are designed to protect the consumer.

That's my comment, anyway. I'd like to see that piano!

                 John

John Musselwhite, RPT    -     Calgary, Alberta Canada
http://www.musselwhite.com  http://canadianpianopage.com/calgary
email: john@musselwhite.com    http://www.mp3.com/fatbottom