<HTML>In a message dated 4/19/03 8:03:39 PM Central Daylight= Time, mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT= : 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">I was under the impression that= Steinways appreciated in value. What did the D cost in 1970? Terry Farrell </BLOCKQUOTE> If you look at Steinway's web site, they say it is a good investment, arguin= g that the value of a D, (or any model), bought now is 2 times more than it = cost 10 years ago. Well, that might sound like they pianos appreciate in val= ue, but if you look in the Ascot Book from 10 years ago, and compare the MSR= P of all the pianos to what the MSRP's are now, and you'll discover that ALL= pianos are twice as expensive today as they were 10 years ago. It's a sales= ploy that quite frankly, as much as I like Steinways, stinks. It is very mi= sleading, and to some customers, very confusing Case in point. About 3 years ago I was asked to appraise a 10 year old S&S S for a cust= omer. When I told him it was wroth at most $20,000, he was shocked. He had b= ought it 10 years earlier for $20,000, and were selling new for about $36,00= 0. He was lead to believe by the salesman that Steinways appreciate 100 perc= ent in 10 years. So he plunked down $20,000, in the hopes of doubling his mo= ney in 10 years. He was mad at me for telling him he had been mislead. Wim </HTML>