That's what I would expect to see at a dealer. But in a private sale the figures tend to be all over the place. I would certainly think that anyone spending more than a private sale price of $500 for a 1975 Miller spinet in good condition would be foolish. However, you will see some folks asking up to around $1K for such a piano. Terry Farrell ----- Original Message ----- I think you are a little low on what the piano would be worth. A nice looking console in good playing condition can fetch 1000-1500 around here. Dean May ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Joey Recker At least you confirmed my numbers were in line. I told her 3000 for the stringing and hammers and associated pitch raise. I told her there would likely be more charges at that point aftere we found out what regulation and voicing needed to be accomplished. I also told her at that point she would have a piano worth $400 (at best) and could buy a brand new comparable piano for around $2500.00. So at least we agree on the numbers. I was amazed that she wanted to do the work. I must report that she said she "thought" she wanted to have it fixed, but was going to sleep on it before making a decision. She hasn't called back so far... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ From: "Farrell" <mfarrel2 at tampabay.rr.com> I've also been reading this thread with some wonder. Just a quick tally of proposed fees for the minimum this piano would need - complete restringing, new hammers, damper felt and action & damper regulation, I come up with $2,800, which doesn't include running back and forth to this guy's house, etc. I gotta admit, I'm very curious what the "just high enough" bid was and what the proposed tasks were. I'm also curious what the suggested new and used comparable piano prices given were. I mean, you can't even buy a piano that bad anymore - can you? They don't make GRAND pianos anymore - do they? A new comparable piano - if there were such a beast - might be $2K (just thinking that you can pick up some trashy little thing today for about $2.5K)? And used - wholesale - zero; private retail - $200 - $600; dealer retail - $1K - $1,300? Only once have I refused to work on a piano when the owner really wanted to do the/some work. Almost always I can educate the owner toward some better options. Of course, when there is significant sentimental value to the piano, all common sense goes out the window - I know that and I can work with that. But that is reportedly not the case here. If a reputable piano tech can't make the owner see the light in a situation like this, then........ $2,800 just to end up with a crappy little piano? No, I would walk from this one - I would fear my reputation suffering. For $2,800 the person could go to a dealer and buy an excellent condition Yamaha P-22. With some legwork, they could find a decent U-1 or U-3 in a private sale. For less than that cost they could find a later model good condition American studio piano. When pianos like the aforementioned are available at a similar or less cost, it makes NO sense whatsoever to sink that kind of money into a low-end spinet. Even if all the work needed cost $500 - even if it were $200, I would still try to talk the owner into replacement..... Just my rant worth..... -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/20070109/a3897a04/attachment.html
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