So excited... looking at a piano tomorrow in my price range (yay!) that I hope will be *the* one. I've been looking for close to a year, finally found a Baldwin R (5'10"), only fifteen years old, selling for $5K. I won't be seeing it until tomorrow and in the meantime, I'm just fantasizing about how fabulous I hope it will be (!). Silly, frivolous question: does anyone know what the fallboard decal looked like for Baldwins in 1995? About six months ago, I had a near-miss buying a Baldwin L from 1968 (sigh... the one that got away...) that had a gorgeous decal in the calligraphy script. On a 95 piano, should I be prepared to see one of those more modern decals in the goofy font? ***please say no, please say no***

I swear, I do care more about how the thing SOUNDS, I'm just getting a wee bit excited...!

It will be a modern font, as it already is on my 1989--don't know if they changed again between then and 1995. I had a romantic yen for the older style lettering too at first, but have come to like this. I suspect the lovely sound has changed my perception.

5K is a very low price if the piano is in good condition. I'd be excited too--good luck with it!

No decal. That vintage would have brass letter inlay.

I got it! I don't know what I'm going to do now about my handle here ;-) Soon I will NOT be a Playtona owner... I've craiglisted it for $50, hope to have it out of here ASAP. I got the 1995 Baldwin R (5'8", not 5'10" like I thought) for the bargain wonderful price of $5,000. I didn't have time to get a RPT to look at it, the closest I could do was my piano tuner neighbor, who declared the thing 'practically brand new', hardly even any grooves in the hammers (!). There were two dealers ready to swoop in right after me (I was luckily the first to see it and put a deposit down). I lost a piano six months ago because I couldn't get a tech to see it fast enough, this one I would have lost, too, if I had hesitated... anyway, I'm practically giddy with excitement! I'm getting my floors refinished early next week, probably getting the new piano moved in on the weekend following. YAY! NEW PIANO!! It is GORGEOUS sounding and gorgeous looking... not a nick or a scratch, perfect and pristine!

Congratulations!!

I can feel your excitment!

If you are really concerned about your forum name, Ken or Frank can change it for you if you ask them. (Two great guys, by-the-way!)

And, you are right, when a bargain piano comes up for sale, it usually doesn't last very long...

All the best!

Rick