<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 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'>Hard to know in what context the quote was actually made (as several have pointed out) but there is a reality.  <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><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I probably get at least two calls a week inquiring about “restoring” grandma’s old upright piano.  When I run the numbers by them they are generally shocked thinking that a piano could be “restored” for $1000 - $1500.  The reality is that these pianos have a starting value of -$500 because that’s what it would cost to have someone come and haul them away.  Simple restringing, action reconditioning, cheap finish and you are into the piano for minimum of $10,000.  Now the piano is worth $1500.   While there are certainly many pianos out there that have good musical potential, the cost of manufacturing now is much lower than our own labor costs for restoration work.  While Del and others have pointed out the “value added” approach, which has validity, it’s a rare opportunity to be able to sell that.  I was sad to see them throwing out this old Knabe as I have restored several old Knabes and they make fine rebuilding pianos.  Most recently I restored an old 5’2” Knabe with a new soundboard, action, finish.  No question that the cost far exceeded the value (and the customer knew that going in), but the piano belonged to her father and she wanted it done.  Those opportunities are rare.   A new Yamaha C1 could have been purchased for less than half the cost of what it took for this piano and there are other manufacturers selling their new pianos for less than that and the reality is, they aren’t bad pianos.  The less expensive pianos of today are much better pianos than  the less expensive pianos of yesterday.    <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"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Paul Williams<br><b>Sent:</b> Monday, July 30, 2012 8:34 AM<br><b>To:</b> pianotech@ptg.org<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [pianotech] NY times article on Pianos<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>He didn't (so it says ;.0 ) say to purchase a Japanese fine quality piano. However, fixing an old piano for 3-4K would indeed get you a high end digital or a Chinese piano. It's just hard on our industry to have a quote like that go round the world…<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>Paul<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><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:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>From: </span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>David Love <<a href="mailto:davidlovepianos@comcast.net">davidlovepianos@comcast.net</a>><br><b>Reply-To: </b>"<a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a>" <<a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a>><br><b>Date: </b>Monday, July 30, 2012 10:05 AM<br><b>To: </b>"<a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a>" <<a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a>><br><b>Subject: </b>Re: [pianotech] NY times article on Pianos<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>We may not like hearing it but fundamentally Fine is correct.  It’s pretty hard to ask a customer to spend the thousands it takes to restore an old upright when they can buy a new Yamaha U1 for $7000.  </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='color:black'><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</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><a href="http://www.davidlovepianos.com">www.davidlovepianos.com</a></span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='color:black'><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:black'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:black'> <a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org">pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a> [<a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org">mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Paul Williams<br><b>Sent:</b> Monday, July 30, 2012 7:07 AM<br><b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [pianotech] NY times article on Pianos</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>I didn't appreciate Larry Fine's quote….and to think he was selling his stuff at the PTG Conference!</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>Paul</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><span style='color:black'><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:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>From: </span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>David Love <<a href="mailto:davidlovepianos@comcast.net">davidlovepianos@comcast.net</a>><br><b>Reply-To: </b>"<a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a>" <<a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a>><br><b>Date: </b>Monday, July 30, 2012 8:49 AM<br><b>To: </b>"<a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a>" <<a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a>><br><b>Subject: </b>[pianotech] NY times article on Pianos</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>FYI</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='color:black'><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</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><a href="http://www.davidlovepianos.com">www.davidlovepianos.com</a></span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='color:black'><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/30/arts/music/for-more-pianos-last-note-is-thud-in-the-dump.html?pagewanted=1&hpw">http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/30/arts/music/for-more-pianos-last-note-is-thud-in-the-dump.html?pagewanted=1&hpw</a><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>