NOTE:
The 2008 Mason & Hamlin Factory Tour sign up info is here ... 2008 Mason & Hamlin Tour


Are there any plans for a tour in the Future?
================================================
See Frank's answers in the posts below.
Yes, the tour is on, for May 2, 2007.

See Details Below In This Thread[/b]

Mason & Hamlin is going to accommodate a larger group this year, but it will still fill up fast.

bump

We will have a tour of the M&H factory on May 2 of 2007.[/b]
And ... It looks like we will be having a Party at Larry Buck's Place after the tour!... http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/topic/1/17740.html




As anyone who has been with our forums for a while knows, they can fill up pretty quickly.

To get on the list, send me an email with the following information...[/b]

Your forums name
Your forums member #
Your real name
Your Location (City/Town, State)

If you plan to bring a guest, I will
need their information as well.

webmaster@pianoworld.com

Put: Mason & Hamlin 2007 Factory Tour
in the subject line.[/b]

When you sign in at the Mason & Hamlin factory (everyone has to sign in), please include your forums name and forums member number.

Please NOTE: We try to fill up the tour with people who have not attended previously first. If you've already taken the tour with us before, you can still apply, but understand we will give first choice to new participants, then fill in (in order received) with repeaters.

See the list of attendees in my next post below[/b] If you're name isn't on the list, you aren't signed up yet!

FYI, the factory is in Haverhill, MA (pronounced Heyvrill). About 45 minutes north of Boston.

If any PianoWorld members would like to stay in Haverhill overnight, there is a Best Western Merrimack Valley Lodge nearby. www.bwmerrimackvalley.com

This is the hotel M&H uses to accommodate their dealers (and themselves) when they host training seminars.
The hotel is about a 10 minute drive from the factory.

Mason & Hamlin Piano Company
35 Duncan St. Haverhill, MA 01830
www.masonhamlin.com
(978) 374-8888


Location[/b]



Parking[/b]


Satellite shot courtesy of Keyhole
http://www.keyhole.com/

Another View (red balloon is factory, white arrow is parking).



If you'd like to see what we are talking about, see these threads...
http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/topic/22/99.html

http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/topic/22/71.html

Ok, 2007 M&H Tour Group [/b]is starting to form:
(see above for details).

~ Monster M&H + 1 *
~ sepstein *
~ Reliv4all +1 *
~ woodfab *
~ old ivory +1 *
~ John Citron +1 *
~ IrishMak + 1 *
~ Kato
~ Kathy, Duncan, & Quinn Howes *
~ Masonite *
~ Ken Beatty + 1 *
~ ebraun + 2 *
~ Lbonetto + 1 *
~ Jim Frazee *
~ Misha *
~ fourthgenerationpianorestoration + 1 *
~ M&HAAdriver *
~ Reader *
~ Lilylady *
~ Pianogirl + 1 *
~ TonyF & Sheryl *
~ Ackerman Pianos *

New - Larger Group This Year![/b]

We have 34 of the 40 maximum[/b]

Note: If we fill up you should still apply as an alternate[/b], we usually have a couple people drop out (although typically at the last minute). If you don't get into this years tour, you will be on the top of the list for next year.

The tour will be on May 2, 2007
Starting at 9:00 a.m. sharp!

This is an all day event, and includes lunch.
There is no charge for the tour, or the lunch.

Pictures are allowed/encouraged (just be careful around the machinery).

Wear COMFORTABLE SHOES!
We do a lot of walking.

There is a nice article about Mason&Hamlin on www.Boston.com with a video attached to it.

Hi Lee.. nice of you to post your findings but Beelady buzzed by before any of us knew about this article!!

BZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Count me in too!

John

Hi! Newbie here...is there a tour fee/ticket price? Thank you.

Hi Kato,

There is no charge for the tour, and they even feed us free too!

Travel and accomodations are your responsibility, but considering your sig says Boston, I'm guessing that's not an issue.

If you'd like to see what we are talking about, see these threads...
http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/topic/22/99.html

http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/topic/22/71.html

My PM to you got bounced back, Frank. Could you please put me on the list? I would really appreciate it. Sounds fascinating, and too good to pass up!

Has the date for the 2007 tour been established yet? If not, about when will they be set?

Not yet.
It's typically in early May.

I'll try to check with the folks at Mason & Hamlin while I'm at NAMM in January.

We haven't been officially invited yet, but they've kindly invited us every year for the past 3 or 4 years, so I'm hoping/expecting they will invite us in 2007.

I just heard from Cecil Ramirez (National Sales Manager for M&H).

The date is set:
May 2, 2007[/b].

We typically begin at 9:00 a.m.
If you are planning on attending, please arrive about 15 minutes before 9:00

Good News![/b]

Mason & Hamlin is now able to accommodate a larger group, possibly as many as 40!

If you haven't signed up yet, do it today.
(See the instructions in my post above).

Please add myself and my wife to the list for the M & H tour sounds like a very interesting day look forward to it. did a tour at steinway a number of years ago with my dad.Didn't alow pictures then.My junior member # is 20841

I think my email may have not gotten through. Would love to attend if possible. My new AA arrives this week and going back to its roots would be a treat.

I'll add you to the list right now.
I get a lot of email, so I sometimes miss the valid ones mixed in with the spam.

Please resend, I'll need all the details listed in this part of the post...
http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?/topic/22/107.html#000002

[that goes for anyone who wishes to attend]

Sign up information for the 2007 Mason & Hamlin Factory Tour is near the start of this thread.

Please note that terrytunes has posted information about the Frederick Piano Collection if anybody is interested in combining their piano adventure with a tour of the museum...

http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/topic/22/120.html#000000

You can also see some pictures of one of our visits to the Frederick Piano Collection here...
http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/topic/22/43.html

A few attendees have asked about the area and what might be enjoyable to explore while visiting for the tour.

I have put together a little trip below.

----------------------------------------

Exploring the area while attending the MH Factory Tour 07

Ma:
Haverhill, as well as Lawrence and Lowell were industrial New England towns. Good representations of such, but you might want to wander around a bit further to see some other scenic areas . I will suggest a few.

Many people enjoy the Cape (Cape Cod) but I will suggest Cape Ann to see the coast, quaint old villages, archecture, granite quarries galore, seafoods etc. It can be toured in one day. Gloucester ctr pretty boring; Bass Rocks, Eastern Point, Annisquam, Lanes Cove, Folly Point, DogBar, Wingersheek Beach etc, much more inviting. Rockport is a charming NE town: Bearskin Neck, Coastal back roads. Essex is antique shops and great seafood restaurants; on marshland. I live by choice on Cape Ann, can you tell? ;-)

Traveling north along the coast. Suggesting 1A

Stops:

Ipswich has a wonderful street of 1600 houses restored. Small town.

Newburyport is a restored brick town on the waterfront. Very charming in the main city. Many elegant captain's homes on 1A.

Plum island can be wonderful or boring. Depends on what you are looking for. Wildlife sandy dunes.

Pass by Salisbury, Seabrook, Hampton city exploring. There is better ahead. But you might want to cut down to the beach road in Salisbury. Should not be busy at this time of year (early May) and North Hampton, Rye roads to Portsmouth show rocky coast, sandy beaches etc.

NH:
Portsmouth, NH is one of the few towns on the coast. Captain's Homes. Very historic areas. Restored Strawberry Bank - 1600 homes with Prescott Park across the street. The downtown is mostly restored. Check out waterfront with great archecture - brick storefronts, (Bow St) nice beer pubs, tugboats and large bridge scene that connects to Maine

Maine:
Staying now on Rt 1

Agunquit is small. By this time, if this is not the destination, ocean scenery has been explored, but there is Marginal Way, if you want to walk a coastline in Maine.

Kennebunk...small town where you should do a sidetrack to Kennebunkport. Charming rural NE town on the ocean. Upscale. Nice old capes and if you explore some backroads, interesting. Hmmm..." Pres. Bush returned to his parents' century-old oceanfront retreat". So some upscale as well!

After this, unless you have more time...I'll stop!

LL

Thanks so much LL...

I'll second the vote for Cape Ann- it's lovely!

And in NH, if you want scenery, you can't beat the White Mountains. You can even stop and see the spot where our Old Man of the Mountain fell down a few years ago! But really, it's a gorgeous area with lots of walking trails and scenic stops. Franconia Notch, Cannon Mountain, lots of great places to see. NH also has over 50 covered bridges. See List of Bridges . There are also over 100 waterfalls, most in the mountains. Silver Cascade and The Flume are visible from the roads (north side of Rte 302 in Crawford Notch). Others require a walk to see.

And then there's the Lakes Region- also very beautiful. Winnepesauke, Newfound, Squam (the "On Golden Pond" lake) lakes are all lovely. And Meredith is a lovely town on Winnepesauke.

Portsmouth is great- lots of little shops to explore. And it's just a pretty town all around.

Just got off the phone with Cecil Ramirez a little while ago (Cecil is National Sales Manager for M&H, and forums member # 69)...

He said the folks at Mason & Hamlin are looking forward to the Piano World tour of the factory on May 2nd.

He expects they will have a couple of the new model B pianos for us to play (along with other models).

Should be a fun day.
If you've signed up, make sure your name is listed in this thread (a few posts up), and that I have your forums name, forums number, real name, city/town, state, and contact info.

Also need the same for your guests (except the forums stuff if they aren't members).
We still have a couple of slots, and will take alternates when we reach 40 (to replace any drop-outs).

Remember to wear comfortable shoes, and bring your camera.

See all the details back near the top of this thread.

Side Note:
If you do a Google search of Mason & Hamlin Factory Tour, we have the top 2 slots (plus we our press release (which mentions M&H) shows up near the bottom of the results, or top of second page)

YOU DA MAN FRANK...nice going...great plug, the video is on youtube M&H Video

Thanks Monster M&H,

And thanks for the link to the video (unfortunately I have no sound at the moment, something corrupted my drivers).

I've created a new page on Piano World for the video... How a Piano is Made

Those of you who are joining us for the tour on May 2 will see most of this work being performed live, and have a chance to play the finished products.

Wondering/Hoping that past local attendees can join in the fun meeting with PWF members that have signed up this year too.

I hear that there is a great local pub/restaurant somewhere nearby the factory. Could this be a local gathering place for after the tour hours? Cocktail Hour? Are any locals who have been to the tour interested in meeting up? LL

Yeah, there is a place really close- a couple minutes away, if I remember correctly. I think we ate there after last year's tour. Dang! Can't remember the name... It's neat, tho. The tap pulls are old shoe forms. Good food, good beer- they brew their own.

For what it's worth, I found out that the LaQuinta (always highly rated) in Andover has just been renovated. It's just down 495 from the M&H factory and I got a rate of $95 for Tuesday night. Is anyone getting together the night before?

How about a gathering, right after the M&H tour, just down the road a bit.....

http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/topic/1/17740.html

Looking forward to meeting everyone!

We've had a couple of spots open up.

If you are interested in joining us for this 2007 tour, see the details at the start of this thread, and let me know a.s.a.p.