Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum Keyboard Carriage & Walter Transport -- Hauling questions

I am often in a similar position with horse moves.
Clients want to rent my truck and trailer, but load/unload their own horses and do all the driving.
Other similarities - even medium size horses are similar weight and often similar value to a concert grand.

These are people who have ZERO experience trying to get large panic prone animals into large metal boxes and have never driven a truck.
They THINK they will be safe because they will drive ever so slowly, but they have no idea how an articulated vehicle short tracks when the trailer is nearly 40 ft long.

I usually respond with; "My insurance wouldn't cover that"

The halfway is "Can I ride in the truck with you ?"
response; "I am not insured or licensed to carry passengers".

Sometimes it gets to them trying to "lead the way", which translates to trying to keep my speed low by driving so slowly that we are passed at dangerous places by impatient drivers.

I always get "Please drive carefully" - - as if I am going to take any undue risks with so much weight behind me

So yes, I am SURE there are piano owners who are just as concerned and protective about their piano move - though they probably don't insist on providing their own special hay for the trip.
Blankets and extra padding - maybe, but not hay.

Wow, watching that video made my day Thank you.

Is Walter Piano Transport related to Charles Walter pianos?

What ever happened to the guy who used to haul pianos, then went back to school to study music and got an MBA? Is he still moving pianos?

We used D&E Movers. They charged $675 to move my Baldwin from the Philly area to Northern Virginia (about 200 miles). First floor removal; first floor delivery. They picked it up one day, delivered it the next and made it look easy (three guys).

I tend to be a do-it-yourselfer, but decided against trying to move the piano (and think it was a good decision--unlike Rickster, I have two delicate daughters). That said, if it was long distance, and was gonna take an inordinately long time, I think I'd move it myself, emphasis on move. I'd hire professionals to load and unload it at each end. I just don't think I could buy a piano and then wait that long for shipping!

No, as here is Charles R. Walter's info:

http://www.walterpiano.com/profile/

However, here is who I am now using:

http://walterpianotransport.com/about-us/

It is Kevin & Hope Walter that runs the business although I am in contact with Ariel Askren as for all details regarding the move.

OT:

Wanted to lighten up the mood just a bit, below:

1)

Child to mother:

"Momma, I'm Hungary and want some Turkey fried in Greece!"

Mother:

"If you stop your Wales I'll give you Samoa."

2)

What do you get when you cross the world's strongest hero with a TV announcer?

Hercu-Leeza Gibbons

3)

Which football player has a dual personality?

Walter (Payton/Peyton) Manning

The answer would probably be censored,

What do you get when you cross an onion with a donkey ?

Here is a very good way to move a piano, by yourself:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppjf9--Sfcs

Wow, this is really brilliant!!!! "Hats off, gentlemen, a genius!"

The first time I watched that I stopped it at the end.
Then I showed someone else and let it run through to 2 more piano mover automaton movies.
Cute, inventive, etc. European too

At a guess it wouldn't take a LOT of effort to cobble up something like this with an arduino, a couple of motor drivers and some standard parts.
The power capacity probably doesn't need to be more than a truck battery, although you would probably want a marine deep cycle type.

Then a couple of Steinway D crash test dummies for the debug runs

I wonder if they walk CLOSER than the videos show, to catch it if/when a topple starts - things could get ugly FAST !

Looks like the Physis Piano V100 will be arriving at my local store as of tomorrow (on Tuesday morning) and after it has been brought into the store, inspected, and prepared, I will soon be given a call to set up the delivery day.

That's great news! You'll probably beat me, I haven't heard anything yet about my piano. Enjoy, you're almost there!

Okay, thanks, as I just received a call today from the movers and the piano is being delivered on Thursday, this week.

I just got my call, you'll definitely beat me, but at least mine's coming on Friday! Cheers, we're both going to have an excellent weekend!!

Piano Movers

Piano delivered:

Piano did arrive today and local delivery went fine although I am now sorting out an issue with a number of keys that are not spaced properly and several are nearly touching one another.

Will add further details in the Physis Piano thread although for now this is my last post, here.

Sounds like me... the perfectionist syndrome.

Thing is, it's caused me a lot of grief over the years because perfection is more theoretical than practical.

Sort of like absolute zero (0 degrees Rankine), or -460 degrees Fahrenheit; the point where all molecular motion stops and heat energy ceases to exist. It actually doesn't exist in nature or anywhere in the universe.

Call the seller and tell them to send out a tech to fix your key spacing under warranty.

Rick

Where I come from, we use Kelvin... Rankine is for hillbillies.

Sounds like a cold day in you know where!

I am doing this thread necromancy since atm I am waiting for my digital piano which is paid since more than 2 weeks (extra pay for delivery upstairs) but until now there wasnt even a contact with the shipping company. As we all do (I cant be the only one) I am looking for similar stories, since that feeling of not being alone helps.

And since I have the feeling that many people would say "deal with it and wait" it was good to read this quote. I know that a delievery may be hard, etc. etc. - but dont promise what you cant keep. If there are conditions that will/may hinder the delievery be honest and write:

"Your piano should be there in a week. Unless our truck is not full. Then you have to wait. Oh, and we wont inform you about anything"

I think its imporant to keep calm in such situations BUT calm AND demanding...