Nope, Craigslist, Rochester, NY (across the lake from Toronto).

I sure am glad find one in Canada, didn't really want to add a border crossing to our adventure! Too bad that it's so unreliable, b/c we are really very near to Montreal, but dealing with Customs makes us want to shoot ourselves, especially as my husband is Asian. We don't even go to Ikea anymore, it just is too much of a pain. Sometimes they waive you right through, and sometimes they hold you up for hours for what appears to be no reason. $60 Sten Purchase ALERT! Give me a break. I hate the border. If your car is full of Ikea and they hassle you, I don't want to imagine what a van with a piano in it would undergo re: scrutiny and holdup.

I am curious though what the official rules are. Do you ship to us often? I know wood is supposed to be tax free, but what about pianos?

I import more than export. I would never export a Walter since they come from the U.S. to start with.

When I do send pianos across the border it is easy. The client has to pay tax at the U.S. border but not the tax in Canada.

Well everyone, it is here!!! I am the proud new mother of a Charles Walter 1500 (Langer action, black satin finish), born in 2001, but unplayed for about half it's life. Beside some nicks in the cover and light scratching, the thing is in near new shape. $3500 price + $775 shipping + $101 paypal fee = $4376. Not bad. Twice our budget originally, but at LEAST $2500 cheaper than the option of a new one. So, that works for me! Seriously looks better (inside/hammers esp.) then the 'new one' (cough, rental!) we first fell in love with.

It is situated in my living room and I am enjoying it thoroughly already! I managed to get through 15 pages of Alfred's and realized that this is going to be a blast!!! The music reading is flooding my brain, hope that it keeps coming back from the depths of my memory so quickly. My left hand is much more cooperative than I anticipated. I think flute is good training for that, now that I think of it. In flute, the left hand always seemed dominant to me in some way, so good trianing for a rightie!

Glad I memorized some melodies last week (mmm...Coldplay on the ipod was not a waste of time!), got to playing them and the sheet music I picked up last week and wow. I am so happy. The piano sounds fantastic! It will need some tuning, and some adjusting, but it sounds really good already! The room is perfect. I just can't believe how ideal this is; sounds amazing in here! We got it just right!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO MEEEEE!!!!!!!!

Ok, now if someone could explain to me how to upload photos (do they have to be linked from an online album? Really???) I would share the joy with you more effectively.

Thanks everyone for telling me to take my time. This is a great piano for us, and is already bringing me great pleasure! I really can't thank you enough for your encouragement, friendship and support!

Floating,

Liza

From http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/forums/15/1/FAQ%20-%20Piano%20Forum.html
************************************************
http://www.pianoworld.com/Uploads/fileuploader2.html

Directions are provided on the fileuploader page. Look for the e-mail and copy/paste the exact URL it sends you into the new message.

you will also receive an email containing the link information. You can pretty much assume your picture will be at: http://www.pianoworld.com/Uploads/files/
followed by the name of your file.

To post pictures in a forums thread...

* You need to either have started a new thread, or use the Full Reply.
* Simply click the "IMAGE" button (bottom of right hand list of buttons under the text box), then copy and paste the Full URL pointing to your picture.
* Be careful not to have any space between the IMG tags, and make sure you only have one http:// in the URL
* The picture should appear in your message, wherever you were when you clicked the Image button.

Yay! Congratulations.

Many thanks to Jeff!

Here she is, in all her glory:


And here is a totally gratuitous shot of my fan club. Turns out Coldplay makes them mellow (thank god, since TV makes them crazy!!!)




No words to express how exciting this is! It even looks right with our house. So, so happy!

Very handsome! And the piano is nice, too.

What a lovely looking piano! Very smart.

Does it sound as good in your room as you had imagined?

It sounds better. I don't know how we did it. Dumb luck on the acoustics! And we were lucky that we bought a mellower one than we preferred at first...the room does brighten it up a bit I think. Now it's perfect!

It's funny, this is certainly nothing compared to grand piano-graphy that others upload, but I kind of prefer it! Studios are so understated, and especially the Walters, they really are quite a surprise. They sound so much better than they look, and I think they look wonderful!

I am voting that more upright buyers show off their pianos!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zib0Um6Dp7Q
This is our 18 years old Charles Walter 1520.

Congratulations on an inspired quest for your new and glowing instrument, she's perfectly beautiful. Today was an important day for you and I think we are all glad that you have shared the pleasure with us. You are quite the writer - don't stop now, girl! And, please add the handsome doggies into the continuing plot, too.

Betty- Thank you for the encouragement, I will be sure to keep it up! Writing is my other underdeveloped passion And I'll be sure to let you know the boys reaction. So far, it seems that the piano is like Nyquil for them! Music taming the (not so savage) beast! I hope they enjoy it after the novelty wears off. What am I saying, they are dogs! It will always be novel--hah!

Also, CY- awesome! And a very good recording, if I might add!

lvp

I must say this - this is your first piano?

Boy, when you do it - you do it right!

Very, very nice!!

Congratulations.

Thanks for the compliment-- I do have a way of committing completely, it's in my blood. You should have seen how I pursued my husband (poor guy never stood a chance!)My friends are not so surprised by the awesomeness of the piano, and my teacher is grateful! I am what the pop psych people call a 'maximizer'. No other way to go than for what you really love.

Really though, I hope more people buy an 'awesome' first piano! I've played enough crap (flute) not to bother with a 'starter' piano. I mean, how are you supposed to play a Steinway at your teachers house and then go home to your Wurlitzer? I might be young, but I am too old for that nonsense!

Very nice! The fan club is cute, too. Hope your husband likes repetition in music. Once you learn that first little piece of something you'll be playing it over and over just to have an excuse to be at the piano...


However
you do realize
that acoustics are
practically obsolete and
in a
few years this
will be in storage
after you
buy
a digital?



Yeah, right. I don't think so!

It's beautiful, LVP! The dogs, too. I can't wait for Mr. Walter to start making the 50" upright. Maybe we can get up a group buy! Or not. Your "first" piano is a real keeper. Well done.

Charles

I know, the 50" would be tempting! I sort of hope it's a few years so that I won't want to trade up too soon! But as LBE says, by then I will have given piano up and gone digital, so I guess it won't be too enticing Hah!

You know, I went back and read the first posts here, and I have to say, I don't even remember the Boston that was so enticing! Crazy!

Believe me, what you got is far better than the Boston.

Charles

I so totally agree with you, LVP. My first flute was a student Yamaha, and by the time I had finished with it and got a proper handmade one, I couldn't believe how I had managed with the old one. Like you, I wasn't going to do the same with my first piano and started as I meant to go on, with a "keeper", I hope. (that's not counting the first 8 years on the Clavinova of course!)

Of course it makes a big difference when you are an adult spending your own money on your hobby and not struggling parents trying to fund your child's music (my kids haven't started yet, lets hope they want to play piano!!).

I'll have to take your word for it...since I barely remember the sound! I sure know I got more bang for my buck...

Congrats.

Glad it all worked out and it's safely in your home.

Enjoy!!!

Great piano, lvp! Enjoy it for a long time -

Cathy

Congratulations, lvp! You've got a beautiful piano and a heck of a deal.

I've enjoyed your piano search story. Your comment about the twists and turns and how your preferences and thinking changed considerably since the first couple of pianos you played is an important moral for all prospective shoppers.

Wonderful story and great instrument! Congratulations and thanks for sharing your story with us. (love the dogs too!)

Sophia

Sorry for dragging up a month-dormant thread... but LVP, after (almost) a month, do you have any further thoughts on your purchase?

(or point me to a thread where those are?)