I'm going to buy my first digital piano on my own and I have my eye on the modus H01, particularly because I hear great things about yamaha and because I like the styling (is that a bad thing?).

I've heard of the buying experience likened to that of buying a mattress or car, that it's cutthroat and frustrating. Piano Buyer says expected price is around $10000, but I see it listed as $7000 through an online seller.

So with my first post, I'd like to ask for some advice on negotiating with a piano salesman. Is the first quote usually a fair price? Also, if you have any other recommendations for piano models, I'm all ears.

Thank you for your help!

Just remember, they are also in it for the profits. They need to feed their family as well. So when haggling, keep in mind of what is a reasonable price. That being said, most retailers will knock off the price quite a bit, especially this 4th quarter where our economy is still in the dumps. Take advantage while it lasts.

I think it's a gorgeous piano. You don't say if you know how to play. If you do, I'd try all the major brands to see which touch you like best. If you're near a city, some of the larger music retailers like guitar center would match an online price. Regular piano dealers probably can't do that. This piano is a couple hundred pounds. So if you're strong enough to handle the box and set it up, online would be fine. Otherwise you might need a dealer to do the setup for you.

I recently bought a Kawai digital piano and I felt like I was dealing with car salesmen. They would not give me a price over the phone and I had to drive to there store just for a price (some places were over an hour drive one way). Then I got prices ranging from $2,400 to $3,500 (for my piano, not the one you are looking at). That is a HUGE difference in prices. I had one dealer that would match prices. I recommend going to serval different stores to get prices.

(also, the dealer that told me they would have the lowest prices around because they have the largest inventory actually gave me the highest quote from all the stores!)

In the high-price DP market, the dealers are under contractual obligations set down by the piano manufacturers. They won't give prices over the phone because that is not allowed.

Their asking prices will vary a great deal. But that really doesn't matter. Instead, you ought to negotiate your own deal. It REALLY IS like buying a car.

I think that a fair part of the modus price is paying for that aesthetic; a quick look at the specs reveals less than top-tier technology - 64 note polyphony and three-level sampling. Does that matter? Maybe not. You may find the sound and touch very much to your liking, enhanced by the attractive cabinet. Oh, and that cabinet does have a capable speaker system. You just have to go and try several DPs from the top manufacturers (take some good earphones, in case the environment is noisy, and also to even out differences in speaker systems, in the event that you may add sound reinforcement).

The vexing issue of how to buy is a thorny one. Essentially, it is good to support your local dealer, but hard to justify when there is such a gaping chasm between the prices that you quoted. As previously noted, your local dealer will likely be prepared to haggle; and the benefits of buying locally should be worth some premium, methinks.

Good luck,

Jonathan