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How many New Englanders might be interested in taking a Mason & Hamlin factory tour together?

Deborah

Count me in. Have you called them and asked if they would do such a thing?

Perhaps we can coordinate when kathyk is down this way too.

I just got off the phone with M+H. They do give factory tours by appointment, requesting 1-2 weeks notice. A group of 20-30 is not a problem.

The complication here is that tours are only offered during business hours 8-3:30 M-F. They prefer early morning tours and gently discouraged afternoons. I suppose that an early morning trip could work for some folks, perhaps heading to work afterward and those that remain to go out for coffee or some such. The tour lasts 2 hours.

Anyone interested?

I'm one of those suckers who has to go to work every day, but I at least have some flexibility in my hours, so I could get away with going on a morning tour and then going in to work a bit late.

Deborah

This is my 1st post!! I have been playing the piano for my own enjoyment most of my life; through my teen years, through many delightful years of raising my 3 daughters. I have known about the PW website for awhile but only a few days ago I happend to notice reference to a "piano forum". I thought it could be interesting. So, I've read enough the past few evenings & have decided that it sounds like a truly interesting group and I thought I would take the plunge and try it out.
When I was looking to replace my 100yr old Trowbridge piano that died of pinblock failure this past March, I started the great piano search. My piano tech in Lowell consoled me for 2 hrs on a Sunday morning after hearing from his assistant of my broken heart over the news of my piano that I had now owned and loved for 30yrs. Larry (the piano tech) set me straight & knowing that my funds were low advised me to purchase Larry Fine's book. So I purchased the book and I read and my husband read and we both became knowledgeable or at least tried. To make a long story short I found an affordable 1923 Iver's & Pond 5'8" from a piano tech in western MA. It was delivered Mother's day wknd! It's a step up from what I previously owned both in size and tonal quality.
During my search I had found out about the Mason & Hamlin factory in Haverhill. It was sort of ironic that the first day I signed onto PW that one of the members were asking if anyone from NE was interested in a factory tour.
I know I would enjoy going and to share it with others who were also interested could only add to the adventure.
Thanks for listening......

terry, you might want to introduce yourself up on the Piano forum where most of the traffic is.

As of yet, we have had no real interest in a tour since it is during the day. I am a mom-at-home so I could do it and if you are up for it, I would love to find a new friend to go along. I have been before, but on a weekend while the factory was not in operation.

You and I are practically neighbors. I live just one more Rt 3 exit south of 495.

Welcome to PW!

Hi Beelady.. I'm not really up to introducing myself; a bit shy I guess. I figured only a small group would be interested in seeing my "post" since it was directed to the M&H tour in MA. Speaking of, I have every Tuesday off. I can even switch my Tuesday for a different day off.

The only other person in my life that has been involved with playing the piano is my sister. She lives on the Cape so we get together often but not often enough.

My husband is a "Beeman"!!! Well, he hasn't been for the past few years but during the years when our girls were growing up. It's a great hobby. My 2 younger daughters, who are still living at home, were actually thinking of placing an order for him so that he could get back into it next spring.

If we can work out a date for the M&H tour it would be great to meet you.

If you wanted to do an 8:00 tour, I could probably go. Any later, and I wouldn't really be able to get away with skipping that much work.

Deborah

Tues mornings, so far, are good for me. Tues Oct 14 immediately follows the Columbus Day holiday if that helps anyone. Terrytunes, maybe your sister could come up from the Cape then?

Deborah, early morning is fine with me, that would mean you probably wouldn't get back till almost noon after the two hour tour and drive time. At this point, who knows what will be happening on Route 3!

Terry, you should get the BeeMan over to Topsfield Fair! As you probably know, the Beekeepers exhibit is terrific. Might be just the thing to get him into it again. I have taken this season off. The last hive died too late for me to do much. Many suppliers were out of bees early this year due to the hard winter. Oh, well, there's always next year..

The 14th of Oct works for me. Am I correct that M&H is located in Haverhill? I'm also fine with meeting at 8am.

Beelady, I've certainly done my share of trips to Topsfield fair! We enjoyed it every year but there hasn't been a year so far that I've missed not going. My husband would be thrilled if I told him I wanted to go this year but I don't that's going to happen!!

Terrytunes

Bee & Terry,

I have spent a few days at the factory and I can tell you that it will be a fun morning. I wish I could join you. The only things stopping me are distance and schedule.

Oh well!

I don't know how I missed this thread! Guess I was too busy following Apple's and TomT's romance. Gosh, I'd love to do the tour. The day after Columbus Day is tough for me though, as we'll just be coming back from a long weekend closing up our camp. Are there any other days that might work?

You'll have a fascinating visit to the M&H factory. I toured the factory with my father (a piano technician on the Cape), another technician, and a couple of M&H piano owners, one of whom has since purchased a new M&H "A".

Unfortunately, our tour was the morning of September 11, 2001. However, we didn't realize until after the tour was over just how awful that day really was . . .

Anyway -- the workers were are very kind, and were glad to answer any of our questions.

Wear comfortable shoes and enjoy!

I'd take the trip to intone "I took Tuesday's tour with Tweksbury's TerryTunes ( who took to the tech to tune, tamper or terminate) Topsfield's troubled Trowbridge ".
Is Haverhill near the ocean? (landlocked, here). I'd like to sometime sit and see the sun shine on the seashore's seashells.
(Or should I take my shoe polish kit and just sit and shine, shine and sit?)


I won't be able to make it really, but welcome to Terry anyway. :rolleyes:

Bob

RKVS1

Kathyk at this point nothing has been set. So far, I have not set a work schedule at preschool, but I will give them a heads up that some future Tues. is no good. The job doesn't pay big bucks, but the flexibility more than makes up for it.

I can wiggle around the schedule of others. I wouldn't want to wait too much later than early Nov as the holidays come and weather is less predicatable.

What's good for all you other ladies?

BeeLady,

The times going back and forth are almost smack dab where I'll be off on "paternity" leave. Not going past week 38 puts us sometime in the last three weeks of October. I supposssse.... I could split the family scene for one of those mornings, or perhaps even work like Deborah may. Mornings are best.

So, keep me in the loop, too.

Can't wait to try the bee honey. I forgot that what you gave me is probably straight "off the farm".

Chris

I have thought of that, but guess figured that was something you and H would have to work out. Hard to know for sure what your situation will be then. She might just be thrilled to get you out of the house for a bit!

So far all communication has been here on this thread to keep checking. I'll send you an email if we get something more solid.

Yup, that golden stuff is the real thing! Thanks for making my piano sound so good!

I'm pretty flexible since I work for myself. I'm bogged down on weekends these days, at least at the moment, with college tours for my son - maybe could work a tour in with him although he's going out of his mind busy with this whole college thing. I do hope to do a Needham area piano shop, so could maybe coorindate with that. Please throw out a few days and maybe everyone else can respond in kind. I'm excited!

[QUOTE] Is Haverhill near the ocean? (landlocked, here). I'd like to sometime sit and see the sun shine on the seashore's seashells.

RKVS1, Haverill is so near the ocean you can smell it! Well, maybe not that close, but close enough. Come to the tour -- we'll show you to the ocean -- you won't regret it.

Having just taken the train to Boston from Portland, I discovered that it stops in Haverhill - I never noticed that before. I love that train! That said, I'd probably want to drive so I can work in a trip to the Boston Piano and Organ Needham store. We have another college tour weekend planned for next weekend. What about Friday Sept. 26?