Instrument : Piano • Player Age : Adult • Ability Level : Professional • My first name is : David
I live in : Bellingham, Washington, USA
G'day OzPianoman ... I don't really have a question.
This is mainly a letter of thanks for being up front with information about "grey market" Yamaha pianos. I am a piano technician (have been for over 30 years) and I am currently selling these instruments here in Bellingham. For what it's worth, my wife and I recently spent a year and a half in "Oz" and loved every minute of it.
Now, back to reality. I worked for the largest Yamaha piano dealer in the state for over 15 years before we hopped on our sailboat and went cruising in 1998.
Gray market pianos. I have always maintained a close working relationship with the guys at Yamaha in Los Angeles and still do. I was one of the first three technicians to be selected (and graduate from) their "Concert and Artist" seminar, so I should be in a good position to judge pianos...especially Yamaha pianos! I have probably tuned two or three hundred of these "gray market" instruments and inspected many more. With the extremely rare exception of an instrument that was severely abused (it was left outside in the rain...ack!) I have never seen one with any more serious a problem than a dead bass string or two or perhaps a couple of loose tuning pins...things one would expect to find on ANY piano twenty or so years old.
Used Yamaha Pianos? They are on the whole terrific instruments...
I own a 25 year old U-3 upright myself and it is a gem.
What it boils down to with any piano is the care that has been (or not as the case may be) lavished on it. The biggest problem with the "gray market" Yamahas here in the US is that Yamaha will not support them with parts or other service and will also NOT honor the warrantees. *
This hasn't really been a problem because I so rarely find anything wrong with one.
Anyway, enough of this blather. I congratulate you on your website and hope that you won't mind if I show your dialogue to all of my prospective customers?
Keep up the good work. I hope that we will get back to Oz one of these days and it would be great to meet you.
Cheers,
Dave Carlson www.concertek.com
Update for JUNE - JULY 2009
pianoadvisory.com Piano information from Australia's pianoman
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* To clarify :
OzPianoman says... In general, Piano dealers worldwide are known to provide good warranty services for any decent Used Piano they sell. (It's good for business)
Often that's independent of manufacturer, regardless of brand or age of the instrument.
When comparing piano prices, buyers are advised that on musical instruments sold privately by the owner, any balance of warranty might Not be transferable
Similarly, with Used Pianos someone has imported from, well - just about anywhere you can name . . . it stands to reason they won't have manufacturer "support".
Many piano parts are interchangeable however and for technicians they're relatively easy to obtain (sometimes involves ordering from country of origin).
Dave's comment may reflect the disdain often encountered in chats with those whose Business is "New" pianos and where their particular focus is NEW PIANO sales!
They know "parts" just ain't a problem.
But some are happy for You to think there "might be a problem" with used imports!!!
Well I've not had to replace any PARTS in my 27 yo Yamaha teaching piano;
Or in the 1983 Kawai grand (used every day & seen here in the piano video; Or for that matter -
my 101 year old Steinweg upright (save for a few strings and felts some 10 years ago on that one)
So . . . Message understood. Yes ? Good ! Enjoy your new Used piano.
Col Mullin - your OzPianoman Melbourne Australia. MAY 2009
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