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If you had $50,000 in your pocket and not a penny more, what new piano would you buy?

If anyone wants to know how Jolly got to his exalted number of posts, the front page of the Piano Forum this morning shows how …

Ah, jealousy, thy name is PD.

I thought it was a pretty decent carpet bomb question. Covers a number of common price points and invites people to share their favorite pianos for x number of dollars.

That way, you don't have guys trying to make the case for a $25K piano in a $15K thread.

What "front page" are you referring to, Dad? How does one access it?

I think the problem with this question is that no one knows the true price of new pianos until they start the buying/negotiating process. Which pianos cost exactly $50,000 anyway?

Just the main page of the piano forum:

Piano Forum

When you see a list of seven consecutive threads with 0 posts, Jolly has carpet-bombed.

That's a great term, Jolly! I like it.

BTW, just to allay anyone's possible misapprehension, I'm not criticizing Jolly. Humorously tweaking, yes.

I think you are missing the point. There is good evidence published as to the narrow price range that a new piano, particularly in the 50k mean, will cost. We just have to name them. A new M&H BB would fit this mean.

In this order, I would get:

1) M&H BB
2) Bechstein Academy
3) Estonia 225

All 7 footers of course....

By nature of the question, the piano doesn't have to cost $50,000.

$50,000 is all the money you have to spend. Not a penny more.

You may certainly spend less.

But...as long as you don't exceed $50K, I'm thinking you'll buy as much piano as you can afford.

And as for PD, from one TNCR member to another...where the devil is the smiley-with-the-tongue-sticking-out emoticon?

Here ...



On the substance, we have a problem of list versus street price. I'm pretty sure I can pick up many a 70K piano for under 50K under certain circumstances.

we looked at a Rolls Royce one year when the list price was 228K dollars. We drove a ratty 1971 Mercury Comet to the dealer and they were prepared to offer us 12K on trade in right off the bat.

A few lessons learned from inheriting this piano business are. If you want to make a deal have the money with you. Don't try to make a deal and then say um.. we don't have any. Cash is still king and all this time I thought it was Elvis.

Does Jolly have a thread starting quota?

Dunno, on TNCR I have 313 pages of topic starters. Here? I duuno...maybe 40 pages, cutting it off at 2006. Never had a 400 post thread, here, though.

Once I had one talking about this place that drew 137 pair of eyeballs in less than 60 minutes...on another site, of course (I'd give you a link, but I'd have to kill you).

It's funny that whenever a question is put like that, even an old guy me wouldn't have an instant answer.

First off, I'd try to pay $ 50,000 for a 65,000-70,000 piano, so "value" is definitely part of the equation.

Secondly, pianos at that price level can be in very different condition so going strictly [or mainly..] by *make* isn't necessarily the most promising approach.

In fact, it could well turn out to be one of the most disappointing approaches as there are always these 'built-in' expectations right off the bat.

Basically I would propose: "all pianos that could be gotten at 50,000" - and perhaps some *below*.

Surprises often hiding in places least suspected....

Norbert

I like the Jolly threads!

Yamaha c6x

When I commented that it is hard to know which pianos can be had for $50,000, I was aware of the "list" prices and other info in Fine's book, but I know that in some shops at the right time, a $50,000 cash purchase can buy a very fine, higher-priced piano, and in other shops, or at the wrong time, it can't. I was offered a terrific deal ($21,000) on a new 7'6" piano with a "list price" of over $80,000 last year and could have had enough to buy two of them with the $50,000, but I decided the piano just didn't suit me as well as some others I was trying out. Nice piano, nice dealer, great price, but just not the one for me. I guess if I could get a great deal, I would try for one of the largest C.Bechsteins or Bosendorfers (at least 7 feet), or in my ideal world, a Mason-Hamlin CC or Steinway D, but I am quite happy with my Mason-Hamlin BB (which I purchased used. I didn't have $50,000. It's not that old and I didn't need a new one. It will outlive me, so my grandkids will have a nice inheritance when I kick off. They are taking lessons on it right now.)

Yamaha C6X and keep the change. I could get the Yamaha C7X with a $50K budget, but I prefer the C6X.