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The Steinway Dealer in Detroit is going out of business, this time for real. I know Hammell Music seems to open stores just to have a going out of business sale, but apparantly this time it is for real. Does anyone have any idea who the new Steinway dealer will be in Detroit?


Now there is only one major Dealer left; Evola Music, who carries Yamaha, Baldwin, Bosendorfer, and others.

Jordan Kitts?

nevermind, I believe it was Chicago I was thinking of

Perhaps it will be a Steinway-owned store.

Regarding Evola: In addition to Yamaha and Bosendorfer, Evola carries Kawai, Schimmel, and Estonia. They do not carry new Baldwins, unless this is a recent development with the closing of Piano and Keyboard Center. Baldwin is not listed on their website.

Does that make it a good time or a bad time to buy a piano from them? I'm in the market but was kind of putting it off.

I would think that you could negociate very good deals. They would be motivated to sell... and some styles and brands of good pianos are very hard to sell

Cash is king.

Its too bad to hear of another biting the dust. As said, if its for real you are likely to do well if you impress upon them your will to buy. If you or someone else doesn't buy, they may be faced with a bid for the inventory from another piano store, perhaps many miles away.

I still remember when one of our locals went out and actually stickered a Bechstein B-208 down to 42k before closing doors and liquidating inventory within the industry. There were Grotrians in there and other piano candy that would have been a great opportunity.

I just called their 800 number and a recording states that their "sale" was this past weekend....bummer. They've been around for a long time. In this economy,especially in Michigan, I'm not sure who else would want to take on such a "luxury" item....they are obviously not flying out the door.

As for this being a good time to buy I would not know what to say.
The owner of Hammell Music always bragged he made a better margin on the going out of business sales then he did in the store. He uses a company from out-of-state to set up a bit of staged frenzy, not his own staff. You must wait in a room behind curtains before you are brought through the floor. You are handed a sold sign and told "place it on a piano if you find one you like, because it might be gone before you are done looking." Thereby setting up the sale with out the appropriate help they should be giving.
They also have their manufacturers drop shipments of pianos to help curb the advertising costs. So these pianos were tuned once and put on the floor as original inventory.
I called the 800 number and was told they were going out of business because the financing of the new store was contingent on the sale of the other 3 store properties in Bloomfield Hills, Livonia, and Utica. I could see how this would negatively impact a business, but knowing Metro-Detroit fairly well his mistake was putting his only store in the far reaches of the suburbs.
They are still having an ongoing sale, but my guess is that it has been a while since it all started. Who knows what is available.
I also had contact with the Steinway are rep. recently. As an update he said an annoucement regarding the new Steinway dealer will be made once the doors are officially closed.

It is sad. Another casualty in Detroit. I am sure it is genuine not a ploy as some have suggested. There are great deals in Detroit. Any pianos can easily be moved anywhere in the country.

I am not suggesting this GOB sale is a ploy. It is real. Hammell music is done.
My advice was to let those who might attend this sale to be on the look out for a sales dupe. As everyone here knows buying a piano is a special event that takes time. Being rushed in and out by someone you'll never see again is not the proper way to select a piano. With that said, there may be a deal to be found there, just do your research and plug your ears to what the salesman says if they seem too pushy.

Well, just remember that your warranty is not through the piano dealer, it is through the piano manufacturer. So, should you choose to buy a Steinway, any qualified piano technician can service them just as they can any other piano along with any warranty problems billing Steinway. Provided they have a relationship with Steinway and most good techs do.

I think I'll take a look, only because I don't know how long it will take for them to close the doors and for someone else to open new ones! I would love to fall in love with an American made piano, but if it's not truly what I want I'll keep looking.

Hello- Just catching up on all of the posts- I've been busy keeping the humidity level constant in my home!

I'm sad to see Hammell close their doors. That's where I bought my lovely M&H... I've had nothing but excellent experiences there. I, too, wonder who will be the new Steinway dealer in this state...

I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with Reeder pianos in the Lansing area?

I haven't purchased a piano there, but I've visited a couple of times. Jim Reeder's a rebuilder with a large on-site shop I toured with him, the first time I was there about a year ago. I visited again a couple of months ago. Jim was out of town, but his wife let me putter around and play a bunch of pianos.

He's a distributor for Bluthner, and they always have a few concert grands of that make on hand for rental as well as sale. That particular day I was especially taken with the Mason and Hamlins -- one AA in particular, which was beautifully voiced and regulated.

They're also a Young Chang dealer, and there are lots of used and rebuilt pianos around as well.

I've never heard anything bad about Reeder Pianos, but I only visit the Lansing area every few weeks, I don't live there. They were to exhibit at the PTG national convention in Anaheim a few weeks ago, so I assume they did.

Jeff

It sounds like a visit to Reeder Pianos would be a good one. I'll have to check it out. I do see a piano purchase in my future. I did get an response through the M & H website and they recommended Reeder Pianos for rebuilding M&Hs. Was the Mason you really liked a rebuilt instrument? Did you get a chance to play any of their rebuilt pianos?

Also- might you know of the nearest Steinway dealer - in Indiana, Ohio maybe? I suppose there's one in Chicago, of course.

Sorry for the delayed response. I usually just post on the tech forum, and forgot to check here yesterday.

The AA I really like is new. It has a natural wood finish, and that cool thing M&H does with the sharps that incorporates brown wood. When I told Mrs. Reeder that was the one I liked, she said others had also commented on it. I didn't spend much time on their rebuilds, although there were some older Steinways, a Chickering, etc. He makes his own soundboards, which not a lot of rebuilders do.

There's a Steinway dealer in Indianapolis, Meridian Music. That's the only one in the state right now, unless I'm mistaken. You might also check out Dennis Chupp, a rebuilder in New Paris, IN. (near Goshen). He good with Steinways and I've seen some very nice instruments at his shop. He's a member of my PTG chapter. I think he has a website, if you want to google Chupp Pianos.

Jeff

If you are interested in very nice rebuilt Steinways, Piano Solutions in Indianapolis always has several beautiful ones. And the people there are extremely nice to work with (no sales pressure!). I'm currently coveting a particular one they are restoring, but I think it will be out of my price range!

Does anyone have an update on the new Steinway dealer in Michigan?

Yes- I heard that the new business is called something like: The Steinway Showroom, and they're renting the space where Hammell Music was located until they sell that property. I suspect they'll relocate but not sure where. I think most of the tuners are still there- that's all I know at this point.