Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum What a Steinway dealer says about his competition.

So, just to be fair, the only reason you are focusing on Faust Harrison Pianos is to warn consumers? Out of the goodness of your heart?

Ori and I have "bumped heads" in posts here several times over the years, often on rather unfriendly terms. So, coming to his defense isn't easy.

In re Plowboy's post, I just looked over Ori's website, http://www.allegropianos.com/, and it looks pretty clean to me. In fact, it is quite frank and open it its approach.

Plowboy, if this is just a random cheap shot (as you certainly have taken your share in the past), you should remove you post. If you acutally found his website "laughable", let us all in on the joke.

I would say that some of the recent examples below not only demonstrate this bias...but may also bring a smile to the face of anyone with basic knowledge of the piano industry.

That is really funny. Point scored. Touché.

Gosh this thread has spun out of control! Let me put in my $0.02, as a consumer and not a dealer:

I was amused by the wording on this dealer's page. I think it is counter productive, and not likely to get someone who is thinking about a top-tier European import into their store. It certainly didn't get me into their store.

Why not say, even with a bit of puffery:

"If you're considering Fazioli, Bösendorfer, Blüthner, Grotrian, or Bechstein and haven't played a new Steinway B or D, make an appointment with us and spend as much time as you want with the latest Steinway grands. After playing one, you'll understand why you see Steinway on most concert hall stages, and you may end up saving some money over those high-priced imports. Plus you'll have the pride of knowing your piano was manufactured in New York City, and supported by an established chain of nationwide dealers and technicians."

etc. That might get someone into the store.

It seems to me the current wording only reinforces people's current beliefs, and doesn't serve to change minds. (But maybe it works! Who knows?)

Ori,

You really think that the best way to deal with consumer confusion over another dealer advertising a specific 2005 Estonia piano as “new” is to post a "disclaimer" on your website, but then keep the dealer’s name and location secret? And the alleged mystery dealer, the dealer you’re not naming in an effort to help consumers with their confusion, is not Faust Harrison Pianos?

Let me quote from just one of the references to Faust Harrison on your home page:

"For a period of time Allegro Pianos sublicensed another NY piano dealer, Faust Harrison Pianos, to carry some piano brands including Bosendorfer and Bluthner. This arrangement ended a couple of years ago and although this dealer's website suggests that it specializes in 'Bosendorfer, Bluthner and Estonia pianos,' Faust Harrison Pianos is not an authorized dealer for any of these brands."

So, just to be fair, the only reason you are focusing on Faust Harrison Pianos is to warn consumers? Out of the goodness of your heart?

And targeting a fellow dealer on your homepage is now, what, classy? Or as Steve Cohen opined while scolding another poster, “it looks pretty clean to me. In fact, it is quite frank and open it its approach.”

As I said earlier, I’ll let others decide for themselves whether any of this is ethical and responsible, laughable, or just plain sad.


Mike

"If you're considering Fazioli, Bösendorfer, Blüthner, Grotrian, or Bechstein and haven't played a new Steinway B or D, make an appointment with us and spend as much time as you want with the latest Steinway grands. After playing one, you'll understand why you see Steinway on most concert hall stages, "

...
I think its actually very sad that I had to post such information....but at times one has to choose between the lesser of two evils.
...

Mike,

There are numerous aspects of my relationship with this dealer that you are not aware of and that I'm not at liberty to disclose.

I think its actually very sad that I had to post such information....but at times one has to choose between the lesser of two evils.

Confusion can hurt both consumer and dealer...and so I feel that in this case the interests are aligned.

After a while what was said, what was done, where’d the dang money go, vanity and various other ignorance from all parties involved just gets in the way of doing that one right thing, not the lesser of two evils, that’s always too easy, but that first step. And that first step is a bitch. I’ll guarantee you that.

Mike,

Holy Moly. Mike, you have become such an enigma to me. Frankly, some of your posts have made me think you have a deep and personal relationship with "Jim Beam" (tongue planted firmly in cheek).

Then you go and state such simple profound wisdom. You are really tying my head into a pretzel.

How are the older Bosendorfer 225s? I understand they had a different system for their dampers at one stage. When did they change?