Thanks for your advice. Since I had talked with my bank and they gave me the two choices, I gave the buyer the two choices and they chose a cashier's check. I just took it to the bank and they are in the process of calling the issuing bank and verifying funds. My bank claims that I will have the funds available to me tomorrow. How long would it take for the funds to disappear? I still have the piano, so when would the bank realize that the funds were missing if they were gone? How many days? The movers might not come until Saturday...

I don't know if this has already been suggested or not as I haven't read thru the entire thread, but you should really have the funds wired into your bank account. Funds can only be wired in, they cannot be wired out.

Derick

I hope we haven't caused you needless worry, music4me2. The cashier's check in all likelihood will be okay. It's not like you had listed the piano on e-Bay where the scammers are constantly trolling for a victim.

I hope you will buy a replacement soon!

All this worries wouldn't need to happen by you or the buyer if the check were produced at the bank with the seller watching.

In wanting to protect the seller, I would say that it's a risk for the buyer too to just leave a cashier's check to a stranger, without the goods on hand. Much Nigerian scams occurs this way.

When I bought my piano, I refused to forward a cashier's check inadvance, without having the piano in my possession, because I didn't want to be the victim of losing a great deal of money without anything showing for it.

So, I invited the seller to the bank and have the cashier's check cut right in front of his eyes. I then held the check until the piano is being loaded onto the truck.

This eliminated risks and worries on both sides, and both sides are happy that they are protected.

Okay, so the *next* time I sell an expensive piano (yeah, like I'm ever going to do that again, too painful!), I'll insist on the funds to be wired. I don't know why the bank told me that a cashier's check was just as good. Lesson learned, don't listen to your banker. Lesson two, don't give the buyer any option BUT a wire transfer. Put that in your ad..."wire transfer only..."

Anyhow, it's done. Gone. Big hole in the room. It's been a really awful day. I don't know how long it will be before a replacement arrives...will it be the best digital I can afford, or the best uprgight I can afford, or a really cheap digital to tide us over. If I only had 100 shares of Google...

music4me2,

I'm sorry you had to sell your beautiful Steinway piano, although for a really important reason. It's easy to say, but things can be replaced, people can't, and neither can this precious time in your children's development. You did the right thing. I hope that you can soon bring a piano back into your home and someday have one even more beautiful than the one you just sold.

Sophia

A big hole in the living room is better than a hole in your heart. You've touched ours.

I placed an ad on the site to sell my Petrof piano. What I should really do is simply sell aba routing and bank account numbers, because that is all I am getting requests for. It appears to me that this is more a gateway to identity theft. I supplied one buyer the numbers for an account I keep empty. That account has gotten polled repetively in only 24 hours. My advice to all is to accept payment only by western union, cash,paypal or certified bank check drawn on your own bank where you can take the check and have it verified. -- in Atlanta

jonathan p :

You've undoubtedly not noticed that this post dates from February of this year. The piano and the money are long gone by now!

Did you sell your Petrof ?

Yes, my piano is long gone, and the money put to good use. The cashier's check I received worked out fine, and the family who now owns my Steinway is loving it.

tears and smiles for you.. may another wonderful piano come your way