<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 5.50.4134.100" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Are you sure this lady wasn't = exxaggerrating the price of this piano?  According to the Pierce Piano Atlas, this = piano was built in 1986.  According to Larry Fine's Piano Book 2000-2001 = Supplement, the starting price for this model is about $12,740 for a brand new = piano.  What it was in 1986, I really don't know, but an earlier edition of = Fine's book from 1987 lists the starting price at $6,900.  ("Starting price" is = defined as a possible Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price, or at least a point = from which to start negotiating the price of an instrument.)</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>There are formulae for calculating the = worth of a piano based on its age and the current starting price.  Perhaps = someone on the list can expound on this?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Z! Reinhardt  RPT<BR>Ann = Arbor  MI<BR><A href="mailto:diskladame@provide.net">diskladame@provide.net</A></FONT><= /DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=jonnyv@chartermi.net = href="mailto:jonnyv@chartermi.net">jonnyv</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, August 18, 2002 = 1:33 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> "Whats it = Worth?"</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hello list, I am an associate = beginning tuner/tech. Today on my way home from a tuning job I stopped at a = garage sale and the Lady of the house noticed the signs on my car. She asked if I = could tell her what her piano is worth, I said I could give her an idea of = its condition and a broad price range to shoot for. Well I expected a worn = out old upright (because I'm a pessimist I Guess:) It's a Weber grand, model = wg-51, serial number 025722, She says she paid around 20,000.00 around 18 = years ago.I told her I wanted to consult with some of my peers and mentors and I'd = get back to her. It is in near mint condition!  Any advice...anyone?? = Thanks Jon Van Buren</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>