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Since everybody here seems to talk so much about price...what,do you think SHOULD a new piano cost?

Let's assume the cost of making any would be the SAME for each model!

Approximately......your guesses,please!
[no unrealistic wish list,folks!]

Mason Hamlin 5'8" or 6'8"....?

Steinway B...................?

Yamaha C3,C5,C7........... .?
Kawai [same sizes]...........?

'German made' 6' or 7'.......?
[include S.P.etc]

Estonia 6'3...................?

Petrof 6'3...................?

Others.........................?

In other words....what's FAIR???

And WHY??

Norbert Marten
www.heritagepianos.com

I assume you mean what is a fair price for a consumer to pay?

I know zippo about the grand market. I'd love to take a shot, but I have nada to offer.

Obviously, it can't be such a tight deal that dealers are going out of business all over the place.

A lot would also depend on individual P&Ls for each dealership.

Although there are industry standards, each entity is unique and operates differently. A dealer who spends a lot on pre-sale service runs a more expensive operation than one who does not.

A dealer who needs to buy 40' Formulas needs to make more than one who does not.

Tough question. No easy answer.

I know all of this.

Still, please TRY, give figures and OPINION!

All based on the word 'average'...

This could be an interesting thread,guys!

(I doubled clicked, and ended up sending the same post twice...sorry)

[ March 05, 2002: Message edited by: BrulBruce ]

I think posting the exact price paid is not useful.
Too many variables.

One dealer will sell piano X at a *range* of prices.
A customer with good negotiating skills will do better than the next.
This is the way of the business world on big-ticket items.

I don't know how you can separate construction cost from cost of the piano. One company might be able to get materials less expensively, while another company might have cheaper labor, whilst a third might pay the same for materials and labor but be more labor-intensive. Anyway here goes:

6ft grand

Chinese <10K
Japanese, Korean 15 K
Former Soviet Block 18-20K
American 20-25K
Premium American and German 30-35K

People here have often suggested to 'bargain'
for price. Which is fine.

But what's the 'level playing field' here ?

For those who have watched this Forum for a
while, there are price levels which are, by and large, recurring. Should a Yamaha C3 cost
$15.000,20.000 or $25.000? And why?

Believe me,before ANY piano is even manufactured, the guys in the boardroom put
their figures together. It's done quite professionally based NOT ONLY on actual cost but very much also on 'image' on how much this piano will eventually sell.

Again.....what do you think would be 'FAIR'??

Confess some 'colours'..er opinions....guys!

..and....."KEINE FAULEN EIER, Kinder!"
[except for bin Laden....]

[ March 05, 2002: Message edited by: Norbert ]

I haven't had a good whipping in some time, so I'll take a stab at it...

Mason Hamlin 7' - $45K

Steinway B - $50K

Yamaha C6/C7 - $24K/$29K

'German made' Hamburgh Steinway $60K
Boesendorfer $62K

Petrof 7'9" - $40K

I feel those prices are fair because I wouldn't look back if I purchased those pianos for those prices. Of course, that takes a lot into account including personal preference and the name on the fallboard which counts for something (call me shallow if you like).

Now as for pianos I haven't played:

Bechstein (any model) $15k

There, that ought to have Larry tugging at his leash.

Derick

Gee, Derick,

With prices like yours, my kid is going to have to stick to the harmonica!

Lucy

I thought I was under by at least $5K on list for all of them, no?

Derick

Okay Norbert, I'll take a stab. The prices I'm going to quote are what I THINK I can get a piano for:

1. M&H A - about 34k

2. Steinway B - haven't shopped, haven't priced, so it's a wild guess - 42k

3. Yamaha C3 - about 20k, maybe a bit less (who wants a Yamaha, anyway :p )

4. Kawai RX-2 - about 16k, a RX-3 would be about 18-19.

5. Schulze Pollman 6' - about 23k

6. CW190 - one you didn't ask for(but you should have), 20k (and I can show you the bid sheet). One of THE best values out there.

7. AF(German) 6' - around 24k.

8. Bechstein Academy model - again a wild guess, but maybe Larry would sell me one for 32k.

9. Estonia 6'3" and Petrof 6'3" - I lumped them together because I figure the pricing is similar - I've seen a 5'8" Petrof for as low as 15k so I'm going to guess around 20k, maybe a scooch (technical term)more.

10. Chinese 6' or so - between 7 and 8k, the older the Chinese model the less the money. Chinese pianos are getting better, but the prices are rising.

11. Korean 6 footer (unenhanced) - I found one for 9k, but that was/is unusual. Say about 11k.

12. Korean 6 footer (enhanced version) - about 12.5k.


Note: I think most of the above represents ballpark street pricing. I hope I'm fairly close, but I did this off the top of my head.

If we use Norbert's scenario about each costing the same to build, so we are essentially arguing build quality vs pricing level. My conclusions are:

1. The M&H and the Steinway are overpriced. The Steinway much more so. I think an "A" should sell in the mid to high 20s to be entirely competitive with the world market.

2. The Japanese are overpriced, particularly Yamaha. Lower the prices by about 2k or so.

3. Charles Walter - worth every penny.

4. SP - a sleeper piano, also worth close to what it sells for.

5. The Koreans - worth the asking price.

6. The Chinese - actually underpriced. They are trying to increase market share. Look for prices to increase as quality goes up.

7. The Germans - most are overpriced. They are wonderful instruments, but can anyone actually justify the cost of a new 6' Bosie?

8. Petrofs and Estonias - another pair of pianos that are worth the selling price.

These opinions and $1 will buy a cup of coffee at participating McDonalds, nationwide. :p :p

Mason Hamlin 5'8" or 6'8"....18k or 20k

Steinway B...................30k

Yamaha C3,C5,C7........... .10k,12k,15k
Kawai [same sizes]...........same prices

'German made' 6' or 7'.......18k or 20k
[include S.P.etc]

Estonia 6'3...................12k

Petrof 6'3...................12k

Others.......Fazioli - nothing over 40k, Bosendorfer - the same as a Steinway.

I don't know anything about production costs but I basically think the very high end pianos (Steinway, Bose, Fazioli, Bechstein) are lovely instruments but an absolute rip off. There is no way, NO WAY a model D Steinway is worth well over double the price of a concert grand Estonia. Or any piano is worth more than about 40k let alone Fazioli prices! Lovely pianos but it's really just about exclusivity/snob value at that price. You could buy a house for the price of a Fazioli. I mean it's just a bit vulgar.

Interesting stuff,guys.

Keep it going.

Where IS Larry?

[ March 05, 2002: Message edited by: Sam ]

Jolly wrote:
"Yamaha C3 - about 20k, maybe a bit less (who wants a Yamaha, anyway )"

Actually, I want, and own, 2 Yamahas. While most of the frequent "posters" encourage looking at a variety of brands, several also like to disparage Yamaha, seemingly at every opportunity. I understand you may not like the sound of a Yamaha; I do. I play mostly jazz, and the bright sound "sings" to me. Maybe it is the mass production and marketing, to the near exclusion of the smaller companies, that causes you to defend the little guy. Fine. Just understand that I have played most of the brands listed, and still chose Yamaha - because it's the piano I like. It's a beautiful world out there - and aren't we lucky to have so many choices. I just thought I'd defend mine.

Diarmuid,

When you open your piano store, please let me know. I want to be your FIRST customer. I have a $40,000 Home Equity loan all set to go!!!

Derick

Just something for everyone to think about... An average family will buy a new car every 6 years and pay $25,000 (as of 2001).

The car will break down, rust, require gobs of insurance and be made mostly by machine.

Many of the pianos mentioned above are hand-crafted, will last a lifetime, won't rust, will need only minor repair and could be insured for a lifetime for a fraction of what it costs to insure a car during a 6 year period.

If people get $5K knocked off the price of a Chevy they'd kiss the dealer and throw him a party. But the 'fair' prices mentioned above for pianos are far more than $5K off the mark and average less than $25,000.

I'm not trying to be wise, but I do think there is a difference between fair and wish-full thinking!

Derick

[ March 05, 2002: Message edited by: Derick ]

Cars are much more of a necessity for most people. They are more complex machines than pianos. They are used more regularly and subjected to much more punishment than a piano. They rust because, guess what, they get left outside in the rain. They have, in short, a much greater propensity to go wrong than a piano.

Pianos sit in a living room, protected from the elements. They get played maybe once or twice a week (if you're going to use national averages for cars, then let's be honest about most pianos, not just the ones owned by devotees here.) I don't think your analogy is a fair one.

And where Faziolis are concerned, most peoples houses last them a lifetime, and then some more

I wasn't implying that dealers either are making big margins on the top end pianos.

And an Estonia is a superb hand crafted piano that manages to be reasonably priced.

[ March 05, 2002: Message edited by: Diarmuid ]

I'm gonna 'average' the price suggestions later and see what this high Forum came up with.

Then.....some REALLY interesting stuff will follow...PROMISE!

PRICES....please!!

[Wild shots accepted!]

[ March 05, 2002: Message edited by: Norbert ]

And, just for the record, I know a concert pianist whose had a top of the range German upright for ten years (bought new) and it's absolutely knackered. Admitedly he plays it hard, and for a few hours a day. Just thought I'd mention it. And no I'm not revealing the brand (but don't worry Larry, it's not a Bechstein ;)).