Disklavier

Thanks Carol.  I read your advice, especially about not buying gray 
market disklaviers.  Thanks a lot for that.  I was considering it.  But 
is it really so bad to buy from, say, Canada?  I presume that these 
pianos are prepared for the same harsh climate changes that US ones 
are.  I'm moving to Seattle, and I'm thinking of buying from a place in 
British Columbia.  They say that they have technicians who can come 
down to service it for me.  If they are guaranteeing it for me, and if 
I have a certified piano technician take a look at it for me before I 
buy it, should I still be worried about buying from a distant vendor?

Thanks,
Carl

On Jan 21, 2004, at 5:22 PM, Carol Beigel wrote:

> I have posted to this list many reasons why you might
> NOT want to price shop around the country and
> elsewhere.  I still think you can get the best deal
> from your local Yamaha dealer.  I have serviced
> Disklaviers bought "from afar" and have found things
> that ended up costing the buyer - in terms of both
> money and angst. Rather than repeat my view here again,
> I  have posted my opinions on my website,
> www.carolrpt.com under the Ask Carol section.
>
> Carol Beigel
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Robert Welcyng" <rwelcyng@...>
> To: <disklavier@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2004 4:26 PM
> Subject: Re: [disklavier] Re: Pro Vs. DSK
>
>
> > Primarily to Carl:
> >
> > Once you have narrowed down the DKV model that you
> want, I suggest you
> > contact some dealers around the country. Don't
> overlook Canada. (Dealers
> > may not seek you out beyond their territory, but they
> are allowed to
> > deal with you if you contact, or better, visit them.)
> Set down a
> > specific list of what you want--the model piano,
> perhaps an adjustable
> > bench, humidifier system, PianoSoft diskettes, setup
> of the piano in
> > your home, several tunings, etc.  Ask for
> quotes--once, twice, three
> > times--and share the numbers you get (not the dealer
> names).  Then, tell
> > them that you are ready to buy and will honor the
> best and final offers
> > (adjusted for shipping costs).  Of course, you are
> going to pay cash.
> > Get a loan from a bank if you need to. Don't get into
> an "easy"
> > installment purchase.
> >
> > I believe it is best to buy a piano that has never
> been uncrated.  It
> > probably started its journey from Hamamatsu.  The
> crates are just sturdy
> > enough, but adequately padded, and the instrument is
> enveloped in a
> > sealed bag containing a desiccant. A few thousand
> miles more across the
> > country is no big deal.  Dealers know the best means
> of shipping and the
> > costs are lower than what you might expect.
> >
> > Don't get in a big hurry.  Be aware that occasionally
> there is a
> > perfectly good, not the latest model, but still in
> the crate, DKV
> > languishing in some dealer's attic while the new
> models roll in and out
> > again.  That dealer, understanding your seriousness
> to buy, might offer
> > you a very attractive deal on it.
> >
> > Now, some of my friends are going to yell, "No! No!
> You need local
> > dealer support!"  I argue that: 1) The dealer who
> sells to you (assuming
> > he is reputable) will support the sale at a distance
> just as well as a
> > local dealer. 2) Independent piano technicians
> perform most of the
> > services anyway and are completely capable of
> providing the needed
> > support and, in turn, are supported by Yamaha of
> America.
> >
> > As an example, a dealer in Portland, OR, sold a piano
> to a party in
> > Juneau, Alaska.  When the piano was unpacked, a
> scratch was found on it.
> >   The dealer sent their very skilled refinisher to
> Juneau for a few
> > days.  The repaired scratch was undetectable and the
> customer was fully
> > satisfied.
> >
>
>
>
>
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