Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum Why does the word "Piano" triple the price?

I found the same phenomina when planning my wedding. Similiar items were triple when you put the word wedding before it.

The preeminent piano lamp supplier is Troy out of Vermont. Their stuff is very expensive. It is in fact, solid brass and American made. This is what you see in most piano stores. There are lower cost alternatives in Home Depot, Lowes and on the web. These are brass plated and come from China and Bangladesh. Typically these are not sold in piano stores as they are not market to piano stores.

The preeminent bench supplier to most piano stores is the Jansen Co. out of Wisconsin. There stuff is expensive. It is made out of quality materials and American made. There are lower cost alternatives in other cataloges and on the web. Most piano stores do not stock these or show these as they have found most of these not durable enough for their customer's satisfaction.

Interesting that you have lifted up two American niche companies who are still hanging on. By all means, let's diss them and insist on off-shore alternatives and put them out of business. Their prices (wholesale and retail) are not "artificially" high. I happen to know these folks and they do not drive Bentleys. Nor, do the dealers that handle their products.

Thanks for sticking up for American business, Marty. I use a generic torchiere for a piano lamp, but I love my Jansen artist bench that came with the B so much I am considering getting a duet size one in leather. Pretty spendy, but worth every penny.

PS--Do the fancy Euro makes like Steingraber, Bechstein, Bösendorfer, etc. come with something equivalent to Jansen?

You have some duets in mind? I'm ready.

Well, I play duets sometimes with my teacher. Other than that, I prefer the larger top area of a duet bench. More room to pile books and crap.

In reality, I like to be able to shift on the bench without having to move the bench. With those solo size benches, you have to be careful not to shift too far!

You can get House of Troy Piano Lamps through the internet for 25% to 40% off, no sales tax, and somtimes free shiping. Just google for House of Troy. However, even with the discount they are not inexpensive. I do not know what kind of discount you can get from a Piano Store.

Well said Marty.

Enjoyed meeting you and Jennifer at the NAMM show.

Regarding Bösendorfer, their benches are nice, but Jansen makes a much sturdier bench. It's also *A LOT* heavier. That said, there is no doubt that Jansen makes a very nice bench worth the money - a Jansen bench will probably out last the piano; it's built like a tank.

However, the same *cannot* be said for House of Troy lamps. I have this lamp:
Piano lamp

It isn't worth even close to $280. The bulbs in it always need to be tightened to prevent them from vibrating, the "arms" that come from the music-stand clamp to the actual lamp were crooked - I spent the first month bending them to get them in adjustment. The only reason why I kept it was because the piano dealer gave it to me as a "thank-you" for buying the piano. So it was a freebee. But had I paid for it, I would have sent it right back because it's a piece of junk. The most I'd pay for it is $50 due to the unique design. If you don't require something unique, I would steer clear of House of Troy.

Sorry, just my $.02.

Derick

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I find it interesting that someone would buy a cheaply made Chinese piano and then get high quality, American made accessories like the bench and lamp.

Part of my point Swampwiz, it's all part of the "appearance"...

I'm just as haughty and knowledgeable as you? Therefore I spent an outrageous amount on this lamp to compliment my piano to maintain appearances. Not once has someone mentioned functionality until the last post or so. I love good quality craftsmanship. If it's American made all the better. That still wasn't the point. I don't see people trading in their pianos because it has a European action. Only the Asians are the bad guys......hmmmmmmmmmm.

Is it a fluorescent lamp?

I would never clamp anything onto my piano anyway.

I much prefer my $75 torchiere, thank you very much. I suppose Troy's more traditional lamps (table lamps, torchieres, that sort of thing) are better. But they are still spendy.

About benches...thanks for the info. I know about the weight of Jansen benches. At least they never scoot around. My local dealer has a duet one in front of their concert grand(s). Talk about HEAVY!!

The clamp-on lamp has 4 incandescent bulbs. What I like about the clamp-on is that it can't tip over and fall onto the piano - I had that happen with my last piano and a free-standing lamp. I paid big bucks for the fancy music desk, so believe me I would never clamp anything onto it that would damage it!

The Bösendorfer bench certainly won't scoot around, but I don't think it would withstand the kind of punishment that the Jansen would.

Derick

Thanks, Derick. My concern about a clamp on lamp is that my piano is a S&S B with satin lacquer finish, which is softer than poly. And I like to close my piano completely when not in use to help the D-C work better. Otherwise, I'd do something like yours.

My torchiere is positioned where it can't be tripped on or run into.

BTW, your fancy music desk was a big improvement. The stock one is too plain for such a fine piano!

Hey Derick long time no see!!!!

If you look closely at Derick's sig line you can see the clamp-on lamp on his music desk.

I agree they are pricey, but I imagine the production run is very small as they have a dedicated use. Price is often dictated by economies of scale. I highly doubt H.O.T. can even fill the back of a station wagon with a year's demand for those.

Hey USAPT!

I check back here from time to time to see what's going on. But not much posting. I agree, probably the demand is so low for those lamps that they have to charge a lot for them.

I was watching a show on Natgeo about long-distance truckers hauling a load to Alaska and thought about you. Holy carp, some of the stuff was scary. Not being able to get the truck in gear to slow it down while going down a mountain pass.

How's school?

Derick