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Just wondering what folks see coming over the horizon.

I'll start...

I just had a quick look at DrudgeReport and I see the sales at Wal-Mart are up 5% even though we're in a recession (or something).

If you search at the Wal-Mart site for "musical instrument piano", you'll see that they already carry digital 88-note keyboards.

How long do you think until...

Maybe my crystal ball is cracked and it'll never happen.

Sam's Club carries 20 different digital keyboards, I think your original instinct is correct ...... it won't be long !!!

Walmart digital piano = toy.

I'll listen when they begin carrying real pianos.

Did you see Steinway Musical Stock was down almost one dollar today to less than $8 per share? Maybe they should think about a Steinway Digital??

It would really have to be something, or they'd hurt their credibility.

I think Steinway will come through no matter what happens. No matter how bad things get, there will always be people with money.

I think places like Dollar Tree, Walmart, Walgree's will be thriving. Many people are going to spend as little as they can for a product.

It's hard to make the call on what they will do for services. I know I always look at it from the angle that a good service person usually charges more. But, that may not be 100 % accurate in every industry. But, on average, probably so, so, if they choose cheap all the way around, they will pay more for it in the long run either way.

If our government would just let it runs its course, it would likely be over with quicker than with them meddling with it...

Well, all this Walmart discussion led me to their on line shopping where I found several Casio digital pianos around $800-$1100. Didn't seem to have any benches, though, another site did for $85.

I have had so many inquiries lately from people without any piano either planning to shop for a "cheap one used" or a digital. No one is spending money they don't have and some are trying to make this music lessons work but the budget going in is pretty important to them. Therefore, compromise is a start getting them into piano lessons so they can get a start.

So, I'm trying to sell myself on what Walmart has to offer - and determine whether I could I recommend that or not.

A quick conversation with a music retailer yesterday gave me information about their rental program, the cost of which was not mentioned, and I forgot to ask: but the facts were that in 6 months the rental payment will transfer to something bought on the floor of the store, not the instrument itself that they have been renting. I asked did that include a tuning, and no "pianos are tuned at the store, it doesn't matter, they don't change that much when moving them." I differ in my opinion, but a renter could get their own tuning if needed for around $125.

With Walmart having a charge card that allow the buyer to have no interest payments over a 12 month period providing it was over a $250 purchase, that makes this buyable, IF the quality and the guarantee (which there is one) hold up. Now what about the sound, and the physics of working on a keyboard like this: 88 keys, 3 pedals.

As soon as I entered Walmart - piano up came all the information I needed on Google.

Wonder if this is a break through or a ditch I'm heading toward?

Another inquiry this evening, again, no piano at home.

Do I hit comsumers report next? What do the experts say about the pianos coming from Walmart, Costco and Radio Shack?

I'm quite curious, but I don't want to offend anyone since I'm such a discerning person and appreciative of the history of the piano and arts in our lives. I don't usually think like this!
Horrifying! Or, maybe not.

And the quote on the Steinway stock today, maybe I should get me some since I've never been able to afford a Steinway itself, a few pieces of stock that rise in the future would be nice to have.

I'm listening!


Betty

Places like Walmart are part of the reason we're in a recession. Why are things cheap there? Because they're not made in the US. Very few things are being manufactured here any more. US companies are having most of their stuff built overseas. We sell money, credit, and other things you can't eat, drive, play, or tune.

Things used to be good for Johnny-Joe U S consumer. A few hundred here, a few thousand there gets you a car, a computer, a boob-tube, clothes, all on credit. Then Johnny-Joe gets laid off. All of those inexpensive toys don't look so cheap when Johnny Joe doesn't have a job...

So I try not to patronize stores like Walmart where they treat their employees poorly and sell things that are made predominantly by people making very low wages in countries with few, if any environmental regulations.

On the other hand, it's economically difficult to not succumb to the lure of a $500.00-3gig memory-320 G storage space- laptop.

End of rant, flame suit on.

I agree, Dave. The "Lowest Price is the Law" attitude destroys the local economy and moves production (jobs), money, and therefore wealth out of the country. It also encourages people to buy cheap goods (often on credit) which are of low quality and are quickly discarded (think overflowing landfills) and are replaced by more, new cheap, low quality items, bought on more credit....

It can be quite a vicious cycle. If I were to shop regularly at the big box el-cheapo stores, I would be part of the problem. I choose to avoid those place, buy less, but higher quality items, from a local or national source, whenever possible.

We are finding it really hard to buy things made in the U.S.A. I do admit we go to Wal-Mart, but only some things are cheaper, we have found local merchants selling at or lower then WM. I also like to support LOCAL businesses. I feel we need to keep the $$ in our community first, even if it cost a bit more. I'm about to make the leap in faith and purchase the RP course, lay down some old hard earned $$ on an S&S for a rebuild under the direction of my mentor and pray that this economy will make a turn, albeit a same one, sometime in the near future (near=12 mths or so).

I really don't have a good feeling about all this big bank bailout $$. Doesn't AIG insure the US Senate Pension fund? and why aren't they taking any pay cuts, I thought THEY work for US.

I'm genuinely concerned what the future holds for the NEXT generation, although that's probably what our parents use to say...maybe this is just a small part of growing old...

I don’t think increased sales in digital pianos mean fewer pianos being tuned. I think that the consumers that buy digital keyboards correctly choose them because they are not making a long term commitment. If they were buying an acoustic piano, it probably would not be tuned, except perhaps the first free tuning. And I don’t think for every digital that is bought, an acoustic goes to the landfill.

An old timer once told me that during the great depression tuners went door to door “carpet bagging”, looking for work. He said he never did. Then there were those “mirror piano” conversions that you still see once in a while. Tuners found a way to use their skills. The Asian grey-market pianos could be considered a modern day equivalent. For any tuners in a difficult situation they may consider installing digital keyboards in refinished gutted old uprights or even petite grands.

I agree, Dave. The "Lowest Price is the Law" attitude destroys the local economy and moves production (jobs), money, and therefore wealth out of the country. It also encourages people to buy cheap goods (often on credit) which are of low quality and are quickly discarded (think overflowing landfills) and are replaced by more, new cheap, low quality items, bought on more credit....

I had a call yesterday from a lady. She left this message: "I have a Kimball. It hasn't been tuned in, well, I don't know how many years. But, it sounds horrible and my kids are taking lessons. (adding) It has sticking keys. One pedal isn't working. Another isn't working correctly. One note has this, another has that. BUT, at this point, I am only price shopping."

I returned her call later when I came in, leaving her a voice message to inform her mostly because I was tired today of the "I am only price shopping" that if you are simply looking for pricing only, you will get what you pay for because you are shopping for someone's services NOT for a product.

Now, on the other hand, if you are looking for quality servicing, you will pay more because for one, I am an RPT and have passed the testing required to become one and we refuse to match the prices of those that are $70 less, do half the quality of workmanship that we do and because we see and know their work. But, if that's what you REALLY want, then go for it.

I continued, I don't work on these pianos anymore and recommended her to 2 other yes, RPT's. I'm not usually that snooty sounding to customers but, it sure does get sickening hearing people price shopping rather than quality shopping.

I think we may also see the day when acoustic pianos come equipped with their own digital memory as well as RFID (especially RFID if Wal-Mart gets involved). A custom RFID reader will become part of the tuner's standard toolkiit (just like the Pierce Atlas is now) so he can read information regarding date of manufacture, prior ownership, etc. The tuner may also become responsible for entering information into the onboard memory as to what he did and when, maybe via USB. Damp-Chaser Systems may also eventually need to become compatible with onboard memory to keep a record of external and internal humidity readings, how many low water warnings, etc.

If I'm right, let's hope the software to interface with the onboard system(s)is cross-platform.... maybe Java.

Walmart is one of the largest employers in the U.S. Unless I miss my guess, most of the folks that work at the store in my local area come from my local area. That would include line folks and management. Every time I go into Walmart I am supporting my local economy.

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I think we may also see the day when acoustic pianos come equipped with their own digital memory as well as RFID (especially RFID if Wal-Mart gets involved).
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You may be right Joe. The thoughts of that makes me wanna change my will.
Rather than bury me, take me down to the local taxidermy. Just mount this tired old body and stand me in the the corner down at the local piano
museum as a reminder of days gone by.

Speaking of gadgets on acoustic pianos...has anyone heard anything about eromlignod's self-tuning piano and what the status is?

I started tuning professionally in 1971. Still have a letter from my first customer thanking me for the work. When I started Baldwin just came out with their "fun machine," a electronic keyboard. Fender Rhodes had been on the market for a while. The wags asked, "now that we have electonic keyboards the days of the acoustical piano are numbered. You're gonna be out of a job soon!"

38 years later I'm still here and tune over 1000 a year, plus rebuilding, repair, etc. Acoustic pianos are still sold, resold and part of the culture. There is indeed more competition from other entertainment but there is also a lot more people in the pool of consumers. I'm not sweating the demise of the piano industry any time soon.

If onboard troubleshooting and maintenence systems are added to pianos, the tuner of the future will be responsible for maintaining them as well. (Who else?) He will need to know some electrical troubleshooting, some programming, and other IT skills.

The player piano will become part of the web... probably connected through a wireless access point. Music will be downloaded and uploaded. The player tech will be responsible for providing security and removing viruses, as well as the electrical and physical aspects of player maintenence.

Just another quick thought...

Imagine "broadcasting" a live performance with pianos across the world.

The performer sits in front of the piano. He begins to play. In concert halls across the world, there are "identical" pianos that are perfectly regulated and tuned. The performer begins to play. The other pianos are connected to the net and begin playing as well...

Concert techs may need to master this.

The artist will train for this, too.

Oh please, Joe, what you say is pure baloney! The piano is a 19th Century instrument! Sure, there are some Disklaviers around and for those who know how to service them, more power to them. I know nothing about them and will never need to. There are so many ordinary as well as fine pianos around that need what piano technicians should know how to do that there will always be work for us.