I am looking for a piano for my daughter. I found one baldwin grand serail # 337795. The owner said it was made in year 1997 and it is M model. However, based on the serial number information available in intenet I am not sure if it was built in 1997. Or if it is real baldwin piano. or grey market piano? any ideas or help will be very appreciated

What I got is
year serial #
1994: 310000
1995: 313000
1996: 316000.

I did not find any 1997 infomation. However, based on the above data, 1997 should be around # 319000.
(I have not gone down to look the piano, as it takes about 2 and half hours drive)

Thanks

Grey market doesn't really apply to Baldwins, as far as I know. It's a term generally applied to asian (usually Japanese) used pianos imported to the US. They are supposedly less desirable because they were seasoned for a different continent.

It should be easy to tell if it's a real Baldwin by looking at the plate and fallboard. The fallboard should be enough but I suppose someone could theoretically put a Baldwin decal on another piano. That would be very unusual indeed though.

Sometimes people will call a piano a 'Baldwin' even if it is just one of their cheaper brands like Howard or Hamilton. But those don't have a model 'M', so it's probably just a real Baldwin.

Of course you would need to get any privately-sold used piano checked by a piano technician before you buy. If it was a fake or a bad piano, your technician would know right away and warn you not to buy it.

If the seller thought it was 1997 but really it was 1998, that doesn't matter. Or maybe the internet information had a slight error.

A Baldwin M is a "real" Baldwin—the shortest of their flagship "Artist Grand" line—and measures exactly 5'2" in length.

They're excellent pianos—solid and reliable workhorses, responsive, with big sound—and have long been one of the best possible choices among smaller grands of any maker.

If the price is attractive, it's definitely worth checking out. And, as was already mentioned, be prepared to have a technician inspect it first if you decide to buy it.

Steven

A Baldwin M would be an excellent choice. There really isn't anything better in that size range. As has been pointed out, have it inspected by an independent tech.

Thanks for everyone's feedback.
Any ideas for the true age of the piano based on serial # 337795?

Thanks

We will drive down to check the piano this weekend. will post the result here.

According to the serial number, this piano was built in 1996. I like the Baldwin M. They were great little pianos!

Good luck and keep us posted,

This serial number was in fact built in 1996, although it could have shipped to the original dealer and sold in 1997. In any case, this was well before Baldwin went into bankruptcy in 2001 and was acquired by Gibson. In 1996, Baldwin grands were still manufactured in Conway, AR in a separate factory from the vertical plant in Trumann, AR. The quality at that period of time was much better than other periods prior to and afterwards. Baldwin had upgraded the Artist grands with several improved features, which this model would have included. Your best advice would be to have a qualified independent technician evaluate it, so that you know more about it before making a trip to inspect it.

Thanks everyone, we have drove down to look at the piano. My daughter likes the sound and action of the key. However, it is model M2 as metal plate carved with M2 and printed with serial serial #. In the bottom sound board, there are M and serial # printed too.

Based on my search on internet. Baldwin M model only have M1. Does anybody know M2? Any information would be appreciated.

Thanks

The number molded into the plate often refers to design changes over time within one model. There may not necessarily be such a thing as a model "M2", but rather the second version of the model M's design (now we're into semantics, not technology).

You would learn much more by having a technician check out this particular piano, as Craig suggested, rather than searching the Internet for piano models in general.

--Cy--