<html> <body> Trent, Bush & Lane's can be really great sounding pianos. I've rebuilt one or two in my life (OK, no new board or pinblock!). But they were great and the cases usually are fantastic after being well refinished! Avery At 01:25 PM 9/28/04, you wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">Hi Terry, Long time since I wrote, but you had to be among the first to hear my news -- either tonight or tomorrow my Bush and Lane Serial No. 49224 will arrive. I've been waiting months for shipping (agreeing to their schedule kept the cost down), but I bought it immediately sight unseen when I found it some time ago, by luck though not entirely by chance, in an employee newsletter of a utility in Ashtabula, OH (price: $80; shipping: $500). And, I still haven't seen it; it is coming from about 450 miles away, and I just never got the chance. Now -- my understanding is that this is basically a functional piano, but in what condition I'll find the hammers or the bass strings, or the bushings and back-checks and so on, I can only guess wildly. Exact words from the seller -- whose ex-wife is no longer around to play and whose children just never took to piano lessons -- "probably doesn't need more than a fine-tuning" "beautiful sounding piano" "the tuner commented on how perfect the soundboard still is". So I am hoping that at least it will not immediately require a soundboard replacement, because I am looking forward to hearing what a Bush & Lane sounds like much sooner than I would find the time & money for all that. It was also refinished by the seller (a landscaper by profession). I have not even seen any pictures, so who knows? So we shall see...I don't know if I'd buy another piano without seeing and playing it, but in this case at least the unknowns add to the anticipation and curiosity surrounding its imminent arrival. Presumably, it's hurtling my way down I-80 right now, unless the father and son piano-moving team bringing it are taking a break and it's sitting in the dark in the van in a parking lot somewhere. I will keep you posted on what it's like when it gets here.  Cheers, Trent                           <div align="center">****** IMPORTANT NOTICE ****** This e-mail, and any attachments hereto, is intended only for use by the addressee(s) named herein and may contain legally privileged and/or confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail, and any attachments hereto, is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please immediately notify me at (312) 207-1000 and permanently delete the original and any copy of any e-mail and any printout thereof.</div> </blockquote></body> </html>