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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 7,439
7000 Post Club Member
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Tall European uprights are not very common in the US, so there's not much of a baseline (other than the new price) to compare whether the price is "good".......
There's some odd information coming from your teacher (some of which is incorrect), that almost sounds like they sell a competing brand of piano on the side (or they get a commission for helping close a sale). Your accurate comment on the lack of a baseline reminds me of a Concert 8 Bechstein thread years ago here. The list was 50k, and it was new in the sense that it had never been sold. After four months of aggressive advertising by the CA retailer trying to unload it, even including eBay out of desperation, the thing sold for just under 20. Russell is a fun guy with a good sense of humor, but he's no fool. He's not giving pianos away. I suspect he knows exactly what he has in the 1997 C. Bechstein, and has a pretty good idea of its market value. I'd never suggest that a person not visit his shop, but it is a fact that many non-players buying a piano find the used market for esoteric brands confusing and ultimately exasperating. Thank you for stating the obvious about the teacher. It's amazing how much deep insider knowledge some of these cats in piano pedagogy have (even if they've never heard of Charles Walter).
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 7,559
7000 Post Club Member
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7000 Post Club Member
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Your accurate comment on the lack of a baseline reminds me of a Concert 8 Bechstein thread years ago here. The list was 50k, and it was new in the sense that it had never been sold. After four months of aggressive advertising ... the thing sold for just under 20.
Thank you for stating the obvious about the teacher. It's amazing how much deep insider knowledge some of these cats in piano pedagogy have (even if they've never heard of Charles Walter).
Yeah, I remember that piano. Heck, I may have even made a phone call about that piano to said dealer…and then remembered I was being paid adjunct faculty money at the time (even at that price)! Not all piano ped classes are created equal-- Mine did have one class session at the local piano store, discussing how to equip a studio and evaluating new and used pianos. Granted, I probably could have done a better job at other facets of that class the first time around…
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 112
Full Member
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Full Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 112 |
Desibartender, have you decided on a piano yet?
I just received my Charles Walter 1520 today! I also looked at Baldwins, Yamahas, and Charles Walters. So I was interested in seeing what you came up with?
Charles Walter 1520
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Joined: Oct 2014
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There is a 1500 Charles Walter sitting in San Jose waiting for me. My daugther just didn't like the sound of Bechstein. I like how the Bechstein sounds but my daughter just seem to enjoy the Charles Walter more.
Benn, May I ask how much you paid for your 1520? Does it have Renner action?
The one that I am buying has the Walter action and maybe that is just fine. The dealer is quoting $8500 for 1500 and $9500 for 1520.
Can you please let me know?
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,087
2000 Post Club Member
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2000 Post Club Member
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There is a 1500 Charles Walter sitting in San Jose waiting for me. Congrats on the new piano! I'm glad you checked out the options - and it sounds like you were able to zero in on the one your daughter likes the best. Walter makes fine pianos - enjoy!
Pianist and Piano Teacher
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 112
Full Member
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Full Member
Joined: Aug 2006
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There is a 1500 Charles Walter sitting in San Jose waiting for me. My daugther just didn't like the sound of Bechstein. I like how the Bechstein sounds but my daughter just seem to enjoy the Charles Walter more.
Benn, May I ask how much you paid for your 1520? Does it have Renner action?
The one that I am buying has the Walter action and maybe that is just fine. The dealer is quoting $8500 for 1500 and $9500 for 1520.
Can you please let me know? Desibartender, I don't mind sharing at all. I ended up paying about $7,800 out the door (piano, tax, delivery, and a tuning), but that was after making an offer. The dealer was originally asking about $9,100 (including tax, delivery, and a tuning after delivery) for the 1520. My piano also has the Walter action. The Renner action runs somewhere around $1,000 more. I didn't try a CW with the Renner, but my dealer could have ordered one for me (and I am sure that if you want the Renner, your dealer won't have a problem ordering it for you.) In the end, I decided to go with the Walter action because after much thought and what research I could do on it, I decided I was still getting a great piano even with the Walter action. So in comparison, the dealer you are talking to is asking for the 1520 at about the same price point that my dealer was originally asking for. Regardless of which piano you get, definitely make a lower offer though. While sometimes a dealer might be firm on a price, I think most expect that people are going to make a lower offer, much like with cars. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Last edited by Benn; 10/18/14 11:24 AM.
Charles Walter 1520
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 112
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Also, about the price....
Piano prices can vary depending on what part of the country you are in, so keep that in mind when comparing to what other people paid. I am in Michigan.
In addition, my dealer had the CW that I purchased for a couple of years. Piano prices go up every year, so he was able to go a little bit lower on the price for me than he would have been able to do if he just got the piano in.
Hope this is helpful.
Last edited by Benn; 10/18/14 11:15 AM.
Charles Walter 1520
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Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:34 PM
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Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:23 PM
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