Ori,

Thanks for the response. Of course you are correct. I tended to like the Sculze Pollmann's that I looked at during my search, but that doesn't mean that this particular instrument would be a gem. I was just reacting to your comments about the Estonia and the changes that have been made since 1994. Unlike that case, it would seem that little has changed for the S-P since the piano on ebay was produced, so if it were properly maintained (a big if), and given that it would still have the full "as new" warranty, it could be a bargain.

While I agree wholeheartedly that the blind search for a bargain can lead to disaster, there is nothing wrong with hoping that a good deal comes along on a quality piano. For a number of PW members, this might be the only way to afford a dream instrument. Nonetheless, your points are well taken. I saw a number of promising pianos on ebay (and the used piano listings on the PW site), but never followed them up for precisely the reasons you mention.

Price as the driving criterion in a piano purchase is surely the way to heartache. The harder price drives the choice, in all but the rarest cases, the bigger the crash in the end.

Let's face it--everyone wants a deal. There are deals to be had. Buying a piano sight unseen is not like buying a refrigerator sight unseen. The S-P on Ebay could be a deal, but it all comes down to who's going to service the piano? If you buy it on Ebay, even if it has a new warranty, who's on the hook for problems?

Good luck getting some faceless Ebay seller to help you facilitate warranty service and advocate for you. Again, if you're really lucky--it's a deal, and the seller is a most honorable human and it will all go like a well-oiled machine.

If you're not lucky, and all the dominoes don't fall just right, you're in a world of trouble and no help coming around the corner. The whole idea is so scary to me I wouldn't do it and I'm married to an RPT--so I've got service built-in.

The Estonia Piano has made huge improvements, and making a better piano all the time. I just got a 6'3 in my store this week and the tone and the quality far exceeds what I played on over 3 years ago, so as a dealer I am impressed with the quality which will make these pianos climb higher and higher in price! So make the move now and it will be an investment in the future!

I think that Once you fall in love with an instrument the price will be right, Estonia pianos are amazing instruments, I think the benefit for the customer is that these pianos rival top Piano makers but are half the price! So we compete with a Yamaha and Kawai in price but compete with Boston, Petrof, Steinway in quality of sound, that amazes me!

Maestro99:

Take it easy with the sales spam, hoss. If you keep going on like that people will start to wonder if these pianos are made in China.

someone asks if i feel there is an improvement i will tell them...i wouldn't sell one to the states anyways..but to be so in love with your instrument is not wrong, most people buy a piano for the wrong reasons instead of because they love their instrument.

Steve,
Amen.

Hello - I am the owner of the 1995 Estonia concert grand that is on ebay. I will do my best here to clear up some questions and innaccurate posts on this forum. I was the Estonia dealer in Portland Oregon way back when - this piano ser. # 7411 was delivered to my home, not my store, and it only left here once - that was to go back to the Estonia factory in 2002. In 2003 it was brought back, and to the best of my knowledge this is the work that was done as told to me by Indrek Laul in our phone conversation. It had developed cracking in the finish the first year, but I could not get Paul Vesterstein, then U.S. distributor for Estonia, to do anything about it. Work at factory: Refinished - new legs - new lyre - new pin block (I had no problems with the original) - new bass strings - restrung - soundboard refinished, not sure why maybe just to put on the updated logo? - logo placed on side of piano, curiously not the new logo - new lid - regulated. This is from memory so I may have, but do not think I have left out anything. I have never stated that it was Rebuilt, and do not appreciate being quoted as saying that. It is sound, but needs voicing, which will be done this week. Someone came up from Grants Pass to play it and thought that it definitely needed regulation. I apologize to him for coming all that way to play a piano needing work. I am not a player, just a lover of the piano, and wish that I would have studied piano rather than saxophone. It has Renner action and Renner hammers with the red band. Funny how all the negative comments, scenarios are coming from dealers. I am sure from what I have read that the newer models are better, but I have yet to try one. Richard

Yes, as mentioned somewhere above, it would be nice if a member came and tried the pianos - the Schulze and Estonia, and could report back. I really have nothing to hide. A tech came and looked - he gave an ok to his client, and they are driving down from Vancouver B.C. Saturday.