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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 8
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OP
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 8 |
Greetings all,
As my user name implies, my family and I are new to pianos and none of us currently play. I am interested in buying a Knabe WGK53 piano that is "new in a box" at a very attractive price. I have read many posts encouraging people to try the piano first for touch and tone but as no one in my family plays, my thought is that we can adapt to the piano rather than trying to find a piano that meets our touch. Also, much like pizza, I rarely have a bad experience and enjoy the sound of many pianos.
I would appreciate any thoughts from this esteemed group on buying a piano in a box from a distant seller over the internet as well as thoughts on a new Korean made Knabe WGK53 piano. Thank you.
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,604
2000 Post Club Member
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Joined: Nov 2006
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Please do not accept delivery of a new piano "in the box." Pianos need to be inspected after unboxing. Pianos need to be un packed after unboxing. Pianos need to be prepared after unboxing. Pianos need to be tuned after unboxing. None of this will occur in your home as well and as completely as it would at a dealership prior to delivery.
The Wm. Knabe & Co. WKG53 is a very fine instrument and highly recommendable. Like all pianos it does require some careful preparation to perform up to its capabilities.
Please do not buy a piano from a distant seller over the internet. Transactions such as this are fraught with problems and concerns. Buy from your local Knabe dealer.
Co-Author of The Complete Idiot's Guide To Buying A Piano. A "must read" before you shop. Work for west coast dealer for Yamaha, Schimmel, Bosendorfer, Wm. Knabe.
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 8
Junior Member
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OP
Junior Member
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Posts: 8 |
Thank you very much for your advice and affirmation of my initial fears. That said, I did speak with a moving company that specializes in pianos and he said he would set the piano up for me. I would then expect to have to pay a local tuner/technician to set it up afterwards.
I also failed to mention that the seller is willing to accept paypal for payment to provide some level of protection for me.
Last edited by Piano_newbe; 10/25/09 09:12 PM.
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,477
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Don't do it unless you believe the piano is really on the same level of importance as that pizza. The piano mover meant he'll take it out of the box and move it to where you want it in the room. Hopefully he'll also take out the little bits that prevent the action from getting destroyed during the move otherwise you may wonder why you got the silent practice option for free.
Unless you are buying the instrument for a huge discount, you are probably going to need to put an equivalent amount of money into getting it regulated, tuned and retuned and voiced in your home. And as for the discount, you may want to present to your local dealer the price the internet guy is offering you to see if they can come close.
And finally, you may want to spend some time reading in the teacher forum and other places about families that have bad instruments and the correlation between drop out rate and piano quality. This isn't to knock Knabe, but I can almost predict that if you get a piano that has some sort of problem that isn't rectified, you will be wishing you weren't so casual about its initial purchase.
A quick true story: I was visiting my wife's extended relatives recently and they were excited for me to hear their children play their piano, which was purchased a year previously. The children played for me, and were quite good. They then asked me to play something, and I sat down and...could barely move the keys! The action was the absolute WORST I have ever played upon, and was amazed that the kids were learning on this beast. The sad parts of this story are the children hated practicing (duh!) and the children's teacher sight unseen had recommended this piano to them. I believe they still have the same piano because of sheer apathy on the parents' part. I'm also pretty sure that they've justified not changing pianos because their children have lost interest anyways...
Recordings of my recent solo piano and piano/keyboard trio jazz standards.
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 8
Junior Member
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OP
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 8 |
Thanks again for the advice and affirmation of gut feel. Very much analagous to parental advice that you know is correct but hoped for a different response to save some $$$ !!
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 649
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Piano Newbe, Is this the piano? http://cgi.ebay.com/Wm-Knabe-Co-WKG...mQQptZKeyboards_MIDI?hash=item3ef98360adIf so, a forum visitor bought a Knabe WKV-131 from them this summer and was happy with the piano and got a great deal. There is a difference; his piano was not in the box. Apparently, that one had been unpacked and prepped for sale. Big difference, as Marty points out. The grand hasn't had any prep. What if there is a finish issue from shipping? If there is a mechanical problem, will Knabe take care of it? Is there a warranty, since the liquidator may not be a Knabe dealer? It may not be a true scam, but there is risk. Wm. Knabe makes fine instruments. But, it's much, much better to play and hear the pianos and to have a dealer to handle any issues. Good luck, whatever you buy. Charles Charles
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Joined: Nov 2006
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2000 Post Club Member
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The serial number indicates year of manufacture of 2004. For what it's worth.
Co-Author of The Complete Idiot's Guide To Buying A Piano. A "must read" before you shop. Work for west coast dealer for Yamaha, Schimmel, Bosendorfer, Wm. Knabe.
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 92
Full Member
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I read theidiot guide, it is for idiot. not good. too much bias opinion.
I got my piano out of box, this is best way! you want new or used. In box you know it come from manufacturer with all factory warranty.
tuner to come to home later.
just my opinion.
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 18,356
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
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Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
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I read theidiot guide, it is for idiot. not good. too much bias opinion.
As opposed to, say, your post? [Frank, we badly need that rolleyes smilie back!!] Piano Newbe, in addition to the prep issue involved in a new-in-box piano, buying a 'floor model' has the important advantage of greater probability of tuning stability, as it will likely have been out on the floor and tuned multiple times.
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,412
1000 Post Club Member
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1000 Post Club Member
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I read theidiot guide, it is for idiot. not good. too much bias opinion.
I got my piano out of box, this is best way! you want new or used. In box you know it come from manufacturer with all factory warranty.
tuner to come to home later.
just my opinion. So your opinion is that someone else's opinion is not valid? That reminds me of the Monty Python "Arguement" sketch. "That's not an argument!" "Yes it is!" "No it's not!" "Yes it is!" "No it's not!"..... The piano he buys could come to his house with absolutely no issues whatsoever - that's true, but it could also come to his house with major issues that need to be dealt with. A dealer would most likely deal with any issues before selling it to a customer. This piano has been in a crate for 5 years. In a wharehouse? Temp control? In the back of a truck? Humidity control? No matter how you slice it this is a risk. Is it a risk worth taking considering the price? Maybe, maybe not.
Last edited by Pianolance; 10/26/09 02:35 PM.
Knabe 5'2" Louis XV Walnut circa 1927 Very part time piano broker.
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Joined: Nov 2006
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2000 Post Club Member
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2000 Post Club Member
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Stunning book review Fong II!
Yes, I am biased about the concept of insisting delivery "in-the-box" as being foolish. I understand the desire to have a new sterio or television come in a sealed box. A piano is a completely different situation. Can you imagine a new Mercedes Benz customer insisting he take the car immediately off the car carier truck that brings it to the dealer from the boat? Can you imagine the Mercedes dealer ever allowing that to happen? Of course not. Every Mercedes is run through the shop to have everthing checked and adjusted, then washed and waxed before handing the keys to the new owner.
Co-Author of The Complete Idiot's Guide To Buying A Piano. A "must read" before you shop. Work for west coast dealer for Yamaha, Schimmel, Bosendorfer, Wm. Knabe.
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Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 15,621
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
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Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
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While not recommended under normal circumstances "piano in a box" can and often 'does' make sense in certain circumstances: 1] dealer must be 100% trustworthy & working on highest ethical level, 2] dealer must have network of top technicians available to him in area sold, 3] piano must be of very high and consistent quality, 4] piano must be backed by 100% reliable company standing behind Here in Canada, we have quite a few such cases in far outlying areas where there are no dealers for some of our brands. One such case happens to be a major new recording studio 1,500 miles away from where we just received rave reviews about their new piano. The piano has been used on 6 recordings thus far, and with rave reviews. Thanks again for the great service and customer support. In these selected cases, dealers and customers doing this type business really have all to gain when doing it *right* Including the choice or possibility for the opposite.... Norbert
Last edited by Norbert; 10/26/09 07:44 PM.
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Joined: Oct 2009
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OP
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Thank you again to all of you for the collective advice. Yes Charles, the piano I am interested in purchasing is the one you referenced. And Marty, thank you for the serial number information indicating the piano was manufactured in 2004. The storage over the last 5 years - particularly in a hot and humid part of the country - is a concern that even I as a piano newbie can understand!
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