[pianotech] Baldwin Layoffs

[Paul McCloud]

Shawn:
    Maybe you know something about Baldwin that I don't.  They aren't dead- yet.  Far as I know they still own that Chinese factory, in addition to their factory in the US.  They aren't producing verticals in the US anymore, so they don't need those folks who were making them and let them go.  In the current market, we'll have to see how they survive.  Like 'em or not, they're still around
    Paul McCloud


----- Original Message ----- 
From: Shawn Brock 
To: hpp at highpointpiano.com;pianotech at ptg.org
Sent: 12/19/2008 7:33:42 AM 
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Baldwin Layoffs


Yep,

that sounds like the Baldwin I know.  One of the lousy things about living in Cincinnati is we sure have a lot of Baldwin products left over from the days when they actually built pianos here.  One of my favorite customers is the granddaughter of DH Baldwin.  She has 2 7 foots in her living room.  Its fun to hear stories about the company from her.  She had told me once that she understood that things just don't last and she was proud of all the company did before being bought by Gibson.  Other than the American job loss it doesn't bother me in the slightest that Baldwin is going under yet again.  If all of Gibson went belly up it wouldn't matter to me.  I would sure feel bad for anyone who would be out of a job, but other than that its all okay.  Gibson thought they could both save the musical instrument market and control the world of instrument making.  The closing of Baldwin just shows they can't.  Gibson has tried to put almost every American maker of musical instruments out of business by suing on the grounds of trademark infringement.  I'm not just talking about the major companies like PRS and CF Martin, they have drug people into court who only make 12 to 15 instruments a year.  Knowing the small time makers could not fight them, they neither had the money or the power to put up a struggle.  I disliked the Gibson company so much that I turned down offers for 4 years for an endorsement.  I stuck with the custom builders and told them to "go to hell!"  Any how...

Regards,
Shawn Brock, RPT
513-316-0563
www.shawnbrock.com

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Garret Traylor 
To: pianotech at ptg.org 
Sent: Friday, December 19, 2008 6:34 AM
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Baldwin Layoffs


Hummmm, I would not hold my breath for Baldwin to stay in business.  A customer of mine has in the past provided Baldwin with legs and lid props but Baldwin is not paying their bill so they will not be getting the legs.  Does that sound like a company planning to stay in business?  BTW, I will offer details and pics in a few days if any of you are interested in purchasing them.
Kindest Regards,
Garret 
---
Garret Traylor - President
High Point Piano & Music Inc.
88-PIANO (336) 887-4266
P Go Green! Print this email only when necessary. Thank you for helping High Point Music be environmentally responsible.
 
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Paul McCloud
Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2008 11:43 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Baldwin Layoffs
 
Baldwin may have laid off some of their work force, but they're still in business.  They'll be at NAMM next month.
 
Paul McCloud
San D eggo
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech_ptg.org/attachments/20081219/67c639e8/attachment.html>