Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum 2008 Steinway prices.

Anybody know the 2008, New York list price for a Ebony Black Steinway B?....just curious.

When I was purchasing my Steinway they kept telling me that prices were going up 7% on Dec 1. I presume that was when the NY store was going to raise their prices. I don't have my '07 price list in front of me, but I think a B was 72 or 73. So add 7% gets you to 77 or 78.

Crazy how they just keep inflating those prices. Another thread talks about someone who just bought a model A for $62K. That was the price I was quoted for a new B last year! I don't see how a 2007 B would be worth $15K more than a 2006 B. Sigh.

I was quoted 62k THIS year from the '07 list prices for a NY B. Maybe he could tell I was probably going to buy the Bosie anyway? Go figure...

The bottom line is that people will pay basically whatever they ask for a Steinway. And since the company seems to have great control over how much negotiating room dealers get, they must have determined some years back that a 7-8% price increase year-to-year would be tolerated.

Frankly I don't think a NY B is worth nearly that much unless you can get the dealer to sink some serious prep time into the instrument. I'm intrigued by the rumors surrounding a "new" B though. Maybe if they had had those when I was in the market, I would have considered a NY B more seriously.

I don't mean to sound like a smart @#$, but I would consider shopping for another line of piano. There are many high quality grand pianos which present a much better value than this famed brand.
Just my 2 cents

fatswillie 123, I have a copy of the Steinway New York Retail Price List-2008, effective Dec. 28, 2007. Ebony B: $73,600.

Thanks JoeR.

That makes it about 4% increase for the past 10 or so years. So no surprise.

Chris, for someone who doesn't want to sound like a smart ***, you've certainly done a good job. Your comments coming from a dealer are certainly hard to take with any seriousness.

Ouch. $73,600.

I heard that a new Hamburg B is around €73.500 approximately $108,000 !!!

Famed for their worksmanship and quality control, is a new Hamburg B worth almost 1.5x that of a NY model?

Thanks "JoeR" for the info, I know that the 2006 price was $67,300.

Chopin, I was quoted $70 K for a 2007, $73,600 for a 2008. They're not going up $15 K a year.

Sophia

I understand Sophia, I was just comparing a non-discounted quote from my dealer at $62K in March '06 to the supposed 7% increase to $77K this December suggested by Boydster2.

But if it's actually $73,600 compared to Fine's 2006 price of $64,300 it's more like a $9,300 increase. I presume any model B (2006-2008) on a showroom floor can now be quoted for $73,600 unless the buyer knows to explicitly point out that it's not actually a 2008 model.

it's not, but this is why steinway doesn't officially sell the hamburgs in the us. the hamburg workers are paid in euros, and so when the exchange rate with the USD is in the toilet, we pay the price. with the exception of the british pound (which has historially been higher than the USD and the euro anyway), all european purchasers are paying in their home currency, so they are not affected by the currency market.
couple that with the fact that steinway won't admit the german pianos are "better," and there's no reason to either take a serious loss on the sale of these in the US or justify why they cost more.
that, of course, only applies to the current market. back when the euro was E0.80 to $1US, was a hamburg model 20% less expensive than a ny? for some reason, i doubt it.

Grane -

Are you serious? Likewise seeing that you are steinway owner.

There is no doubt there are many other choices. I personally like Steinway. I did not say what I said because I am not a dealer of Steinway pianos. I said it based on fact. When spending that type of money, the consumer should keep their options open and should audition other pianos. If the consumer keeps going back to the Steinway, then obviously they will know that is the piano for them. enjoy the shopping experience. the budget allows most brands to be considered.

Funny how often on this forum it is said "buy the piano, not the deal" and yet, how often it is posted that Steinway is not a good value or a good "deal" given their pricing strategy vis a vis other brands. Likewise, Kawai vs. Boston, where it is often written here that the Kawai is a better "deal" despite perhaps not having so nice a tone as the Boston. There is nothing wrong with supporting an American company that has upheld the standards of its components for quite some time, while supporting the piano arts, all the while refusing to bow to the cutthroat pricing standards of much of the industry. To bring into question a prospective Steinway buyer's judgement in spending the money for a new piano is to be condemned! No one asked for opinions as to whether or not it was a good value.

Go JoeR, and thanks for a balanced point of view.

Love it when folks tell you how to spend your money or what's value for you -- especially with an obvious conflict of interest.

So Sophia, are we thinking of a B, or are you just shopping with your eyes.

Or, perhaps Santa has something special for you???

Nice one, Grane! right now in the wishful thinking stage as the space issues preclude a seven footer... but someday (and after an extensive, all brands inclusive PW-approved search! )

Christopher, your previous post came across as competitor bashing, unlike your most recent one. Just my .02.

Sophia

I don't think Christopher's comments were out of line at all. Let's face it, unless one is filthy rich, price is an important part of any purchase. What is the harm of mentioning that many companies who make very fine pianos do not charge the kind of mark up that Steinway does, and are therefore able to sell their pianos for less?

Yes, Steinway supports the arts, but their customers pay for that support every time they buy a piano. I don't think other high-end piano companies use a "cut throat" pricing policy, they simply have a different business model that allows them to sell for less, and less prestige that prevents them from marking up so high.

Christopher
In your original post you used the word "another" brand as to exclude Steinway from one's search whereas "other" would have been more diplomatic.
No big deal! Do you think if one could acquire a restored Steinway L or O at the same pricepoint as a new Yamaha C2 (which you represent) do you think that would be a good value ?

Roy123
Are you aware that most of the HIGH END competitive piano manufactures to Steinway, retail their pianos for considerably more than Steinway but discount them accordingly. What's the real difference in price in the end? Not much!
Steinway chooses to market and sell their pianos at a set price rather than inflate the retail and than discount. In the end their markup is not any more than Bosendorfer,Bluthner,Bechstein,Steingraber or any other hand made piano.

and once again pianobroker displays a balanced sense of reason. Thank you.

Sophia, space shmace! Guess it all depends on what's more important in your life, playing a 7 footer, or being able to have company in for a visit -- or a listen.

Loved your "(and after an extensive, all brands inclusive PW-approved search!)" comment. Wonder what PW-approved search means for resale value? Would Frank approve the result and annoint the winner?

Oh heck it's Christmas time, a time for reflection, for what's been, for might have been and what could be...