Hello All,

Well, I finally did it! I purchased a piano—from Keith Kerman of Piano Craft—and I COULDN’T BE HAPPIER!!!

Why did I go all the way across the country to buy a piano…well, here it is.

In August of this year, I began playing the piano again. I had talked to many of my friends and they were all recommending I do something besides think about cars all day. One of my customers then told me he was taking violin lessons to clear his head. He said he took violin because if he didn’t devote 100% of his thoughts to the violin, the screech he made was unbearable. As such, he found he was much more productive in his professional life when he had “rested” his brain cells for a while thinking about something else.

Then I had a good friend, 50, get Alzheimer’s and I watched him deteriorate almost daily. It was sad. Then I read articles about crossword puzzles helping people not to get Alzheimer’s and other mental activity was critical to slow the progress…so I put 2 + 2 together and decided it was time to relieve stress and slow down/stop Alzheimer’s…hence, I started practicing again. (Piano counts as crossword puzzles, doesn’t it?)

Of course, it didn’t take long for me to realize the cadaver (100 year old Kimball upright) I had in my living room had long since given up the ghost and was suitable for…well, firewood. Of course, I banged on it and banged on it, and 2 months later I was still banging on it every night. Time to get a real piano, I realized. All the while, I am wandering in and out of piano stores and the mall looking at pianos. Being in the car business, I have heard a lot of lines and seen the BS shoveled so deep I had to put on hip waders…but, NOTHIING prepared me for the ugly world of piano dealers.

This site told me to buy Larry Fine’s piano book and so I did…more ugliness. I have restored many, many cars and so his words of “Buyer Beware” were very clear to me. Who knows if that engine in the car I want to buy was really rebuilt as the owner says? Was it just a “Krylon” rebuild? (Krylon refers to the Krylon paint company who makes engine enamel paint in a spray paint can.” You would be amazed how much “better” a clean and painted engine “runs” regardless of what is inside.

Pianos are worse.

Who knows what is really inside a “restored” piano? Who knows if the piano just had a “Krylon rebuild?”

Oh well, off to the dealer ships I went.

Pianos out of tune.

Actions with keys that fly away from your fingers.

Kawai, Yamaha, Petrof, Steinway, Boston, China this, China that China EVERYWHERE!

China pianos=NO BASS RESPONSE AND DEAD TREBLE!

Pianos “just back from a lease on huge discount.”

Buy NOW and save. What is your budget anyway? Now, let’s just add a few thousand…or more the salesman says.

I had more salesmen lie to me than I care to remember.

They play some chord and then turn around with a used car salesman smile from ear to ear and exclaim, WOW! What do you think of that bass! “It sucks,” I reply.

I almost gave up.

Then I looked at Keith Kerman’s posts. Then I looked some more. I looked for stretching the truth—even a little…no, couldn’t find it. I looked for exaggeration…no. I looked for something that wasn’t right…no. It all seemed to check out.

Now, I have customers all over the US. I think they have pretty high standards. Hmmm, The SEMA car went to a guy in Maryland who even plays the piano. (I usually know quite a bit about my customers.) I asked him to stop by Piano Craft and to give me a report. He called back and had nothing but good things to say Keith, Sam, and the others there. He said the shop was like Disneyland. Clean, and “obviously run buy guys who really know what they are doing.”

So, I called Keith and talked to him about what I wanted. I told him I wanted a Steinway or something like a Steinway in an African hardwood. He said he didn’t have anything in stock but would be glad to look for me. I explained my situation to him that I simply had to have a piano NOW and I couldn’t stand my beast any longer. Keith told me he was making a new line pianos that were originally made in China, but that had been taken apart and been customized to correct the problems and to make the piano very, very nice. The new line of pianos was called Maestoso. I told him I wasn’t interested in a Chinese piano. I didn’t want a Chinese piano…everyone I played just stank. I wanted a “nice” piano—but no one had one.

I continued my search and found a Steinway A. I was apprehensive for all I read in Larry Fine’s book about old used pianos and so I sent some pictures of the piano to Keith. He very kindly emailed me back and patiently enumerated all of the problems with the piano. I felt like he was quoting Larry Fine with each point he was making and slapping me in the back of the head just to emphasize his points. I must have 50 emails from Keith.

Finally, Keith offered, (probably offered it earlier, but I was too dumb to listen), “Look, why don’t you get my Maestoso and let me look for the piano of your dreams--(both looks, and budget.) When I find the piano, I will give you 100% of the value of the piano on trade if you would like. But, I must tell you, you probably won’t want to give the Maestoso up. I thought about the price, 10K-16K depending upon options, and I thought about dreading having to touch my beast again, so I agreed on an option list for prep work and waited for my piano. I chose a larger piano and a corresponding higher price.

I only waited a few weeks from the time I ordered the piano until it arrived yesterday. Keith offered updates all along the way. I was eating lunch when the piano mover called and one of my employees overheard and said, “I guess we will see you tomorrow.” Off I went.

I would like to say, Keith called REPEATEDLY and gave me updates. Keith called two days before the piano arrived. Keith called 1 day before the piano arrived. Keith called when the piano arrived. Keith had a tech arrive 2 hours after the piano was set up just to make sure nothing had shifted in transport!

The movers were great. The service was great…but I still had to play.

I have to admit, I was very, very nervous about the bass…boy was I surprised! The bass blows me out of the house! It is only a matter of time before the neighbors call.

The action is smooth as silk. The bass is as big as an orchestra. The treble rings and the tenor has a beautiful melodic voice. My piano is better than those I played at 2 and 3 times the price!

I called my mom over. She started playing and I couldn’t get her off! Finally, she paused and remarked, “Wow, what a bass! This is far better than my piano.” She has played for over 50 years in our church. I played until 12:00 midnight last night. I played until my back couldn’t stand it any longer.

Keith even called today to see how everything was!

I told him, “What a wonderful instrument! I couldn’t be happier!”

I haven’t smiled this much in a long, long time.

Thank you Keith Kerman and Piano Craft!

David

Now we must have pics of this piano, subito!

Keith is consistently a good guy IMO, whether I agree with him or no, he has a temperment (hehe) which is to be commended.

David,

What a terrific post.

Congratulations on your new piano.

Can you tell us more about the Maestoso? Is Piano Craft doing the customization - or is it being done somewhere else? And where did that name come from? Is it perhaps Keith's invention? It sounds like a name that he might have created.

Congratulations on the new piano![/b]

Never seen a Maestoso before -- please consider posting a picture.

---

Keith, can you tell us a bit about Maestoso? Don't be shy! David Kirkham's post made it sound like a product of a Fandrich-like approach to a Chinese rebuilt. Just curious who's the original builder and what are the major operations/modifications done to the originals. Did I forget to say don't be shy?

David,

Congratulations on you new piano.

Keith is very excited about this new line of pianos he is offering. I am sure you will enjoy it for years to come.

Alex

David,
Congratulations!!!
Did you let him, in return, take one of your cars for a spin?

Thank - you David for the wonderful post. I really appreciate it, and it has been a tremendous pleasure meeting you and doing business.

Irving,

Maestoso is Italian for "Majestic" and is regularly used by composers to indicate the feeling of a movement.

Yes, Maestoso is our name, and I also own a fledgling CD label called MaestosoRecords.
It was inspired by the Brahms F min Sonata, of which the first mvmnt is marked Allegro Maestoso.

The Maestoso pianos begin as Dong Bei pianos, same as Nordiska, Hallet Davis etc.
All customization is done at Piano Craft, and can include everything from hammers to stringing to Stanwood touch design, enhancing the back structure, satinizing the finish, to adding our version of a tension resonator, etc. etc.

Axtremus,

I will get into more detail with what we do in the future.

FWIW, David, knowingly bought the second one.

Congratulations!!! It will be interesting to hear how it goes!

How bizarre is it that you have not been able to post this info previously? Couldn't you just make an announcement? Isn't this to the great interest of the piano community?

It is pretty small potatos stuff. The challenge is to see how good we can get one of these pianos without pricing them out of the market.
I must admit, I did a bit of research here in a very subtle way, and the reactions to my questions were all pretty negative. We are doing it anyway.

It sounds like a nice niche to me. What sizes are you experimenting with?

Happy Piano!!

One other thing I noted: 10-16k for a new, nice sounding full grand (I don't think the size was mentioned) is a very attractive price point. I have noted other dealers starting to look at similar lines of Chinese pianos (made in China and then customized within a price point). It will be interesting to see how other brands react to this.

PICTURES Please!!

Did I say PICTURES?

Thank you.

Figures David would buy a "kit" piano.



( Warning: the above statement was a joke. )

5', 5'5", 6'1", 7'

David bought a 6'1". I don't think anyone is going to look at what we are doing and react. It is too easy, and profitable, for most dealers to take a Chinese piano out of the box, tune it, and sell it, cheap.

Standard Dongbei sizes.

It's such a pity they'll collapse in a pile of dust in twenty years.

Seriously, I think you're ahead of the curve....

Christopher,

I have been very, very happy with Keith.

Irving,

It is easy to post the truth.

Axtremus,

NOW I WILL FINALLY BE ABLE TO RECORD MOONLIGHT SONATA! I hope I am not too late.

I will post a picture when I get home. I can’t wait to hear that bass!

I’ll let Keith expound on the specifics.

Alex,

I can promise you I am more excited than Keith! I hope to only enjoy this piano for 1-2 years as Keith is looking for a Steinway, or a Steingraeber for me.

Ori,

Thank you. He is welcome for one of my famous “Squaw Peak” rides anytime he comes out here. You are too, for that matter.

Keith,

You make telling the truth easy. Thank you again. As I am plowing through my 1000 emails, I find myself day dreaming about that bass. I had to stand IN LINE this morning at breakfast to play…I need an upright for the basement.

I am thrilled I bought #2! Anyone who is interested better get one before they have to wait in line! I KNOW one will start at your front door.

Mikhailoh,

Thank you for your kind words. I am very, very happy.

Christopher,

I am not privy to Keith’s business plans, but we rarely, if ever, post our thoughts, intentions, ideas, etc to the public. There is far too great a chance for something to blow up. (Just look at me and you will see the black smoke marks all over me!)

How much better advertising is it when I stand up as a customer and say, “Wow! Thank you for that piano! It is more than I expected!

Or,

Oh yea, we make the coolest stuff in the whole world. Come and buy it and see.

I vastly prefer the low key advertising model.

Keith,

You said, “small potatoes.”

Ok, I’ll just give the neighbors your telephone number at 12:00 midnight :LOL:

Jeff,

Sorry, Keith convinced me to get a 6’1” and I am GLAD I did.

Luis,

Pictures at 8:00

Chris,

Kit piano :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:

Keith,

Just remember, they do sell them out of the box CHEAP. They sound and play that way too! I know, I must have tried EVERY one of them.

Jolly,

I doubt it will collapse in 20 years. The movers kept groaning on how HEAVY the piano was. They put in quite a bit of reinforcement in the piano. BIG beams. Maybe that is where all that bass comes from?

I know I am ahead of the curve. I had to listen to all of the other curve balls that were hurled my way by all of the crappy salesmen.

David

AKA ONE HAPPY CAMPER

Hey I think tweaking cheap Chinese pianos for higher performance is not a bad idea.
With a few clever modifications you can get a piano that rivals a Steinway (or whatever).

Calin

Congratulations on your new piano! Serial number #2--and a fascinating story to go with it!

Enjoy!
Mary Anna
http://www.maryannaevans.com

Congratulations, David!

And yes, we all want to see pictures!

Congratulations on your new piano!!

Cathy

Congratulations David on your piano! I was wondering whatever happened in your search - I'm glad you have a piano you love. It makes such a difference doesn't it?

My Fandrich & Sons grand (6'1") also started out as a Dongbei, to which the Fandrichs modified and improved everything. I absolutely love the piano!

Enjoy your new toy, and don't forget to eat and sleep!

Must see pictures!

David:

Congratulations on your new grand piano! What a cool story. I'd like to see photos, too. And Keith is a good guy to have purchased from. So, tell us - - - what kind of tonal quality does it have? Does it sound comparable to any other piano - or, rather, which other piano would you say it sounds most like? (I know it's not going to sound *exactly* like some other piano, but please *try* - I'm probably not the only one interested.)

I'm curious!! Sounds like you got a great deal! Many happy years playing your new piano!

Jeanne W

Let's see if I can get these pictures to work. Sorry for the delay. Things are going crazy in the Cobra world.

ARRGHHHHHH!

OK, how do I upload images on this site? The "image" button asks for a url. Do I need to upload the messages first to the web and then point to them, or can I just upload directly from my computer to the forum?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Pictures taken and waiting to be uploaded.

David

David,

See THIS THREAD (CLICK HERE) for instructions to post photos.

Did I miss the pics?

David: taking pics and posting them is much easier than designing a car, I think.

Yes, Tweeking chineese pianos is a lot more efective than tweeking korean pianos. We sell a modified chineese instrument with german bass strings and hammers and a whole lot of prep work done at the factory. I spend 1/4 the effort getting them ready for sale, and they are awesome for the price. Things are changing and I like where they are going....

Guys,

Sorry, I have had a rough go at it the past couple of days. Delivering cars like CRAZY!

Will post when I get home.

David