Piano upgrade time
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As you can see from Larry Fine's 2024 addendum, he has placed the New York Steinway B at an SMP price of $138,800. This is not MSRP, this is Suggested Maximum Price. Now after listening to Klaus's piano story of a few years back, he has given me the notion that these pianos can normally be haggled down to 30% off list price. Not quite sure what list price is defined as though.
The Blue Book of Pianos denotes what is called Manufacture Suggested List Price for the B at $95,600.
And finally, Piano Price Point website only denotes an MSRP for the B at $142,900.
Are we confused yet??@NobodySock said in Piano upgrade time:
As you can see from Larry Fine's 2024 addendum, he has placed the New York Steinway B at an SMP price of $138,800. This is not MSRP, this is Suggested Maximum Price. Now after listening to Klaus's piano story of a few years back, he has given me the notion that these pianos can normally be haggled down to 30% off list price. Not quite sure what list price is defined as though.
The Blue Book of Pianos denotes what is called Manufacture Suggested List Price for the B at $95,600.
And finally, Piano Price Point website only denotes an MSRP for the B at $142,900.
Are we confused yet??I'm not an expert on this at all (maybe @LuFins-Dad can say more about this) but my impression is that the amount of wiggle room depends a lot on the manufacturer. I seem to remember that Steinway usually doesn't offer much discount, but Kawai and Shigeru Kawai can often be had for 30+% below list price. That's at least the situation over here in Germany.
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@NobodySock said in Piano upgrade time:
As you can see from Larry Fine's 2024 addendum, he has placed the New York Steinway B at an SMP price of $138,800. This is not MSRP, this is Suggested Maximum Price. Now after listening to Klaus's piano story of a few years back, he has given me the notion that these pianos can normally be haggled down to 30% off list price. Not quite sure what list price is defined as though.
The Blue Book of Pianos denotes what is called Manufacture Suggested List Price for the B at $95,600.
And finally, Piano Price Point website only denotes an MSRP for the B at $142,900.
Are we confused yet??I'm not an expert on this at all (maybe @LuFins-Dad can say more about this) but my impression is that the amount of wiggle room depends a lot on the manufacturer. I seem to remember that Steinway usually doesn't offer much discount, but Kawai and Shigeru Kawai can often be had for 30+% below list price. That's at least the situation over here in Germany.
I came back to the Steinway gallery in town to play on the different B they had on the floor that is also now sold. It was located in a different area of the floor this time, up on a small stage separated from the sardine packed floor of pianos where the first B sat. Was there a difference? I say yes, this one did not impress me as much as the first one did, but it also had been 2 months since my first visit so it's hard to say how different they were. It wasn't quite as impressive as the first but that may be due to hitting the keys on the first one for the first time brought a certain shock and awe. One thing that was the same was the strong bass, as I started off playing the second movement of Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata.
When I played the low Eb in the 4th measure, I just stopped and paused with glorious enchantment. This is the thing I have been missing these last 20 years on my Petrof.
Still, the nicest sounding piano I have had a chance to play on with my still limited sample selection to go with. Have not yet made my trip to So Cal to try the Estonias, Kawais, Shigerus, and MH's.
So here again is the deal, the B that is on the way from NY would stay in its crate and eventually be shipped to Italy for me, with no sales tax charged, but I am on the hook for everything else, shipping, any duty tax, and initial prepping to be done by whoever I hire locally. And yes, the offer is for just a month's electric bill under 90K. Basic ebony polyester. Offer expires April 1. I was honest with them telling them of my immediate plans to test drive other brands soon and had questions regarding the duty I may have to pay in Italy for this piano. Reading internet sources, apparently my household goods will not be subject to duty tax being that I am coming there on ERV visa and will be residing there. There is a caveat that I still need to verify regarding these household goods needing to be used items and not brand new ones. I neglected to ask if the offer was still valid if I chose to have the piano uncrated and setup in my home and then I handle the shipping and stuff myself when the time comes. I will pose that question to them as avoiding sales tax is a nice bit of icing on the cake if so. The general internet consensus on MSRP for a B is around 138,000. Doing the math, if one took 30% off this, that places the buyer price of $96,600. So I would be under that with no sales tax to boot. I really need to get to Kim's piano store asap to see what is competing for my forever piano. -
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There is no such thing as an internet consensus MSRP. There is a published MSRP. Other dealers can raise or lower their retail, but one MSRP. Steinway New York Retail on a B is $142,900. No consensus, published fact.
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This really doesn’t pass the sniff test at all. I spoke with our Steinway showroom in Atlanta, and they are absolutely perplexed, themselves. Get a serial number for the piano.
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There is no such thing as an internet consensus MSRP. There is a published MSRP. Other dealers can raise or lower their retail, but one MSRP. Steinway New York Retail on a B is $142,900. No consensus, published fact.
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This really doesn’t pass the sniff test at all. I spoke with our Steinway showroom in Atlanta, and they are absolutely perplexed, themselves. Get a serial number for the piano.
@LuFins-Dad said in Piano upgrade time:
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There is no such thing as an internet consensus MSRP. There is a published MSRP. Other dealers can raise or lower their retail, but one MSRP. Steinway New York Retail on a B is $142,900. No consensus, published fact.
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This really doesn’t pass the sniff test at all. I spoke with our Steinway showroom in Atlanta, and they are absolutely perplexed, themselves. Get a serial number for the piano.
625798 is the SN she believes. I can still have the piano sent to my home without sales tax if i can show a bill of lading when I move to Italy. I have not responded as yet, but the question arises, "are they going to withhold charging me for the sales tax and wait over half a year for me to make good on this shipping bill? If so, what happens next January if I cannot produce such a thing? Would they then simply send me a bill for sales tax? Doesn't make business sense.
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Each piano is unique. You don't want to buy a piano from a vending machine. It is a personal decision. If you are focused on a new Steinway, it would be worth a one day trip to New York - check out the pianos at thie store - and facotry - find the piano that is right for you. Why would you fall in love with a piano and buy the one next to it without playing it? That's essentially what you'd be doing buying a boxed piano.
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Faith in modern manufacturing discipline?
Maybe it’s better not to fall in love with an inanimate object.
Regardless, I would be in absolutely no hurry to buy a piano in a crate to be delivered six months hence. Might as well use this six months to sample more pianos. Most likely there will be another piano of the same make and model six months from now sitting in a crate waiting to be shipped. -
I was not planning on buying any piano i have not had a chance to play. Sorry i didnt mention this but thought you all wanted a good story so i try to present things as they come with no decisions being made except narrowing down my brand of piano. Its why i asked them today if deal is still good if they set it up first and let me take it home if i like it. Apparently though , listening to ld’s interjections, this is not a run of the day sale i am being offerred. I would not though think bad thoughts that the piano in question may be flawed im some way and they are hoping to sell it to a guy who wouldnt open the crate until next year in italy and thus complete the scam. This is Steinway folks! I am no fanboi but i would bet the farm these guys ooze integrity as a company, except when they are trying to make a sale. Lol!
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@kluurs said in Piano upgrade time:
Heh - rethinking this - forget the Steinway - and get a Fazioli since you'll be in Italy.
That's what I've been saying out loud since the start of this! I'd better get started on that gofundme then.
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@kluurs said in Piano upgrade time:
Heh - rethinking this - forget the Steinway - and get a Fazioli since you'll be in Italy.
That's what I've been saying out loud since the start of this! I'd better get started on that gofundme then.
Look what I get to play on when I go down this week to Kim's piano. These are all on the floor
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August Förster? Cool. Very unique, warm sound. Cheaper than other premium brands. Not easy to find, even in Germany
@Klaus said in Piano upgrade time:
August Förster? Cool. Very unique, warm sound. Cheaper than other premium brands. Not easy to find, even in Germany
I am especially keen on trying this one out. He is on my short list for sure because of just what you mentioned.
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@Klaus said in Piano upgrade time:
August Förster? Cool. Very unique, warm sound. Cheaper than other premium brands. Not easy to find, even in Germany
I am especially keen on trying this one out. He is on my short list for sure because of just what you mentioned.
Today is the day! Kim's Piano store awaits me this afternoon and I decided to rent a car, not just any car, but my first electric car today. It claims a range of over 250 miles which is about the distance from me to there. l figured it would cost me more to drive the Mercedes SUV. Going to get me some ocean therapy at Hermosa Beach directly after and spend the night tonight.
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I ended up not going down to socal yesterday as my dog Bella who is 16 and a half, is not doing well and I am bolstering myself for her end days. I hate this part of life. As I get further along in this piano search, I am coming more and more in line with finding a good used one to save some pennies. What I really want to do is find a Baldwin SF10 circa 1960s-1970s and see if it sounds so rich like everyone claims it does. Take a listen to this video and near the end he plays the beginning of Tchaikovsy's Piano Concerto 1 and prepare yourself, turn up your speakers. It frikkin sounds like Liberace too! Oh my dear Lord. There's a smattering of them for sale on ebay and pianomart and they can be had for real real cheap. This could be my forever piano.
Link to video -
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How did you like your electric car?
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I ended up not going because of my old dog's turn for the worse. The piano hunt has taken a back seat for now, and I now have an idea of shipping costs of my household goods to Italy, it's becoming clear that I should just sell my Petrof before I move and take my time to find my next piano in Europe.
