<!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 5.00.2314.1000" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY> <DIV>I live in the Republic of Panama. Is that a = gray market area? Please fill me in on gray market pianos. I'm all = ears.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Richard</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV align=left class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr>-----Original Message----- From: = pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]On Behalf Of Tvak@aol.com Sent: Thursday, August 07, 2003 3:08 PM To: pianotech@ptg.org Subject: advice today please! </DIV>List Tomorrow I go = into the den of iniquity, i.e., Biasco Piano, to examine a piano on a client's behalf.  It is a pre-owned U1, serial #725700.  Biasco is = expecting me to come tomorrow to check it out and have agreed to let me see = it.  Now, he has already put money down on this piano so I'm not sure if = the deal can be nixed at this point, no matter what I find, but what general = advice would you have for someone in this situation?  I've never been = called on before to examine a piano at any dealer before, let alone at = Biasco.  I'm not looking for advice on what aspects of the piano to check; I can in = all modesty say that I am fully qualified to examine this piano for its = integrity, quality and/or any potential problems.  It's the = ethical/business aspects that I ask advice on.  For starters, I plan on saying = nothing to the folks at Biasco about what I find.  The client is paying me = for advice and I will give it to him directly.  But if I find = something that is truly wrong (and being Biasco...this could be possible) can I be = held liable in some way if the client decides to back out of the = deal?  I've already warned him of gray market Yamahas, but he's not particularly concerned.  He already owns another Yamaha and = thought he could provide the serial number to that piano if any parts were needed = for this piano.  I had to admit that most of the parts would probably = be interchangeable.  Not an ethical way to deal with a problem, but = since the problem at this point doesn't exist, I chose not to address it. So, any advice will be appreciated.  I don't want to get = myself into any trouble over this.  I really don't expect to find = anything radically wrong with this piano.  I think it's just going to be = another one hour service call, but I'm sure many of you have been here before = and will have some great advice.  If I can avoid stepping in it, = I'd gladly walk around it! Tom = Sivak </BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>