Are online "ebay" type pianos a good idea?

[Stephen Airy]

I was wondering if you guys would discourage me
(whenever I am able to afford shipping them, or buying
my own pickup and driving the up to 12-hour drive (and
paying for the gas) to pick the pianos up) from buying
old dilapidated pianos on e-bay for the sake of
rebuilding them?  I'm mainly thinking grands (cause in
the end they're worth more than uprights with maybe a
few exceptions but I don't know), but I'd also like
experience with some uprights, like M&H, Knabe, S&S,
Hallet & Davis, and other reputable brands of the
1870s to 1920s.

--- Farrell <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com> wrote:
> All else being equal - No way would I recommend to
> someone that they buy a piano on ebay. Now getting
> on to reality, people will do just that. So.........
> 
> I should think the condition & value of a remote
> piano could be ascertained by asking your local
> technician for a referral of a reliable technician
> in the area of the piano. The remote tech could then
> inspect the piano  and report as to its condition
> and value. One must be able to ensure that the
> remote tech is reputable though.
> 
> The above evaluation should satisfy many potential
> piano movers.
> 
> For the better pianist - they MUST play the piano
> themselves - so if they do the ebay thing, I would
> recommend that it include a trip to visit the piano.
> Otherwise about the only thing they can be
> reasonably sure of is that all the various
> parameters that determine whether someone likes a
> particular piano is within the "normal/acceptable"
> range (if indeed that is what the remote tech
> reports) - but it may not be to their particular
> liking.
> 
> Terry Farrell
>   
>   ----- Original Message ----- 
>   From: MoodyPiano@AOL.COM 
>   To: pianotech@ptg.org 
>   Sent: Monday, September 24, 2001 5:15 PM
>   Subject: Are online "ebay" type pianos a good
> idea?
> 
> 
>   As time goes on I am getting more and more calls
> for piano moving for pianos that people are bidding
> on via ebay and similar auction style sites. 
> 
>   n two instances that I can remember, we have had
> negative experiences. 
>   In one instance, a customer purchased a baby grand
> piano for $800.00 in NJ.  The piano was supposedly
> in "showroom condition, only needing tuning."  We
> were hired to move it from NJ to MA.  After delivery
> we referred the customer to a technician for service
> who deemed the piano's repairs to be more than the
> value of the piano. 
> 
>   In instance #2, a customer had called us to
> purchase their piano.  Upon evaluation we found the
> piano to be unserviceable and explained this to the
> customer.  2 weeks later, I received a call from a
> customer in Washington state that was looking to
> purchase a piano on ebay from MA and was looking for
> advice and moving costs.  Coincidentally it was the
> same piano.  Thankfully she ended up not purchasing
> the piano but I still wonder if someone ever did. 
> 
>   Does anyone have any feedback positive/negative on
> these types of transactions?  My initial feeling for
> the everyday consumer is that there are too many
> risks involved with purchasing a piano like this and
> the opportunity isn't there too get it evaluated by
> a technician.  So my overall recommendation to
> customers is "stay away from piano purchasing on
> ebay, etc."  Does anyone have any other thoughts or
> recommendations that they give to their customers? 
> 
>   Thanks,  Lanie 
>   _________________________________________________ 
>   Moody Piano & Organ 
>   Metro West Plaza (rear) 
>   796 Boston Post Road East 
>   Marlborough, MA 01752 
> 
>   Phone 508-877-2222 or 508-229-3601 • Fax
> 508-303-8996 
>   MoodyPiano@aol.com • www.bushellcompanies.com 
> 


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