Custom-built pianos

[Erwinspiano at aol.com]

Hi  David
  Of course ,I'm beating that drum with  you.  I didn't see Dave Porritts 
post. Can some one e-mail it to  me.
  Black Beauty....My D, did sell  ....finally...for the figures mentioned but 
it was worth more than that in  reality & in time these custom built pianos 
from a variety of small shops  will (hopefully)have the kind of reputation 
required to command higher  prices than the mass produced one.
  I as David A. stated I did deliver the D to  it's location at the Arkely 
center for the performing arts in Eureka Calif just  yesterday.  The Center is a 
1920's theatre that has been  meticulously restored & is a perfect acoustic 
location to enshrine this  wonderful full voiced piano. 
  After setting it up, those of us there  walked about the auditorium to hear 
how it spoke in the  room.
  I was totally & completly gratified  that, after the arduous restoration, 
sweat, tears & joy of experienced music  in concerts & tedious /marketing that, 
IMHO, it's final acoustic destiny was  worthy of the effort & will be a 
center piece of the musical performing  community on the extreme Northern Calif 
coast for years to come.  See _www._ (http://www.ArkelyCenter.com/) 
ArkelyCenter.com/

  Thanks to all those, who upon hearing Black  Beauty In Rochester,The 
Atelier & the 05 Sacramento Convention uttered  words of praise , encouragement &  
enthusiasm.
  Kindest regards
  Dale Erwin
 
On Feb 23, 2007, at 4:42 AM, Porritt, David wrote:

 
This is the way  of all the top instruments.  

That's exactly right.  Custom restoration, custom building. It's all in the 
quality and THEN THE  MARKETING, which most artisans don't have a clue about, 
or are afraid to spend  or don't have the money (they think) to spend on the 
crucial third leg of the  stool---
1. excellent design & impeccable, stand-out capabilities to produce a  super 
product 
2. reliable means of production
  3. effective  marketing/branding. 


Lack of this last  one, along with cash flow issues, kills most artisan 
efforts, or keeps them in  the perceptual "doghouse" vis-a-vis not being a "serious 
player at the high  end." 


The top French  horns, flutes, violins etc. are all made in very small shops. 
 The fact  that we now have a few pianos being made this way is progress.   

Yup. And I'm determined to  build a brand and a desire for my and other 
artisans' truly hand-built custom  pianos.
I think the scoreboard proves it's possible: I've sold, in the past 6  
months, a Mason & Hamlin concert grand for $78,000, a Steinway "C" for  $66,000, and 
I'm about to sell my Hamburg "B" for $55,000---and I could sell  it to this 
guy for $10K more if I hadn't put the $55K figure on my website and  
handouts---he flat fell in love with the instrument, and has been looking at  "B's" 
between $65-75K; Dale Erwin sold the "D" I had for a while to a venue in  northern 
California for at least $75 or 80K---so I think I can say with  certitude 
that there's a market for our best work, and that that market can be  found
and served by artisan  rebuilders. 
 
The best factory  made instruments of any type will never approach the small 
shop output in  quality.  It’s just that in our history this phenomenon has 
excluded  pianos.  Now it  doesn’t.
Hooray.

dp


David Andersen


 
 
Dale Erwin--Piano Restorations
4721 Parker  rd
Modesto, Ca. 95357
Shop 209-577-8397
Web site _http://www.Erwinspiano.com_ (http://www.erwinspiano.com/)  
Restoration & Sales of
Steinway &  Sons & other fine pianos.
" Soundboards by  Design"

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