<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)"><style></style></head><body bgcolor=white lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I should have said the benches Steinway sells are at the retail price at which Jansen suggests they be sold.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>David Love<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>www.davidlovepianos.com<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:windowtext'> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>David Love<br><b>Sent:</b> Sunday, March 27, 2011 7:36 AM<br><b>To:</b> pianotech@ptg.org<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [pianotech] Steinway parts list<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The problem is that Steinway's policy is vague as are their practices about who they sell to. This is true of some other manufacturers as well. I can think of two recent cases where non technicians (pianists) that I know bought sets of hammers. Looking at Steinway's price list at things like artist benches, they represent a price that is compatible with the retail price at which Jansen sells the bench (it's a Jansen bench with a Steinway Logo on it). Non technicians or account holders may also buy those as well as items from the Steinway boutique with a credit card in hand. The account requirements seem more aimed at setting up a billing policy than qualifying a potential and regular buyer.<br><br>While Steinway thankfully doesn't publish the price list on their website the information and items are clearly available with a phone call and so doesn't represent a wholesale price policy in the true sense like Jansen or Schaff, for example. It puts those of us who use the business model suggested in an awkward position and I, for one, wish they would either clarify or tighten up their policy.<br><br>That being said I agree that sending the price list out in a public forum was bad judgment whatever the copyright implications are. <o:p></o:p></p><p>David Love<br>www.davidlovepianos.com<br>(sent from bb)<o:p></o:p></p><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><hr size=2 width="100%" align=center></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b>From: </b>Israel Stein <custos3@comcast.net> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b>Sender: </b>pianotech-bounces@ptg.org <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b>Date: </b>Sun, 27 Mar 2011 06:57:35 -0700<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b>To: </b><pianotech@ptg.org><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b>ReplyTo: </b>pianotech@ptg.org <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b>Subject: </b>Re: [pianotech] Steinway parts list<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal>Wim,<br><br>Now that's as level-headed an approach as I have seen. Suppliers the bulk of whose business is to the trade have policies that favor this clientele, and allow them to make a profit on their products if they so choose. Some suppliers who do also sell to the public (for example, auto parts and building materials suppliers) have different price structures for the trade and for the public and make great efforts to keep the wholesale prices secret. We are all familiar with the Jansen catalog which quotes retail prices for your customer's benefit - but then gives you the price you pay in confidence. <br><br>Steinway? If they wanted their parts prices made public, they would post them on their website and save themselves a whole lot of trouble and cost. Do they care that if some ambitious amateur or do-it-yourselfer manages to buy some parts directly from them? Probably not. They do what any supplier who is focused primarily on selling to the trade - release the price lists to their clients and not to the public, basically to enable their clients to make a profit on the products if they so choose. Common business practice. Will they go after someone on copyright violation because they published their price list? I sincerely doubt it, there is no harm to Steinway here, though technically there might be a violation. The only harm is to those of us who might be negotiating a price on a rebuilding job - and the client comes armed with a parts list. And yes, as Wim writes, some clients will go to the ends of the earth to find out this information and come to the negotiation armed to the teeth. Fortunately for us - there aren't that many of them. So let's not make it easy for them by spreading this information around public lists. It only harms us. If a technician needs the information - send it privately, or refer them to Steinway. <br><br>Israel Stein <br><br><br>On 11:59 AM, <a href="mailto:tnrwim@aol.com">tnrwim@aol.com</a> wrote: <o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Perhaps Steinway has a strict policy on who may buy their parts, other supply companies have very lax policies, and allow the public to buy parts over the counter. These supply companies sell Steinway parts. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>I agree that we should be able to make a profit off the parts we sell to our customer, as I say in my book. However, there are some technicians who have opted not to do that. A customer who wants to go to the trouble of looking up wholesale price lists, will also go to the trouble of calling enough technicians until he finds one that does the work for the least amount of money.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Wim<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>