Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum Help please!-Falcone model 74 opinions?

I am looking for some help on the value of an original Falcone 74 grand piano. I recently visited a piano shop in the Northeast that had one in their showroom. I fell in love with the piano, it's touch, tone , power, dynamics were stunning. The more I played it, the more it spoke to me. The shop owner told me that it was handcrafted in the early 1980s in Haverhill, MA and they were only made for a decade, making them somewhat difficult to come by. My online research seemed to back this all up. He told me he was selling it on consignment and the asking price was $22,000. They have an excellent reputation as piano restorers but he explained that this piano had not been restored but was inexcellent condition and his shop would warranty it for 5 years. I left there feeling like I had found my dream piano and the price seemed fair for a 7'4" grand piano of this esteem. But then I called another local piano dealer and got completely different information. This dealer told me that Falcones were made by Samick and this piano was way overpriced. He said he could sell me a much better Kawai for half the price. I told him that this was an original Falcone, not Chinese but he insisted that even those pianos were imported from Samick. When I told this to the shop owner of the Falcone, he said that this dealer was either very misinformed or very dishonest. Can anyone clarify this for me please? I love this piano but I don't want to overpay for this extremely big investment for me.

This is from another piano forum: made in US. Not Samick

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=539.0

Registered for business in 1980s in Mass
https://www.bizapedia.com/ma/falcone-piano-company-inc.html

Company with same name, but not same company, now in China

https://rec.music.makers.piano.narkive.com/mwx8Ks9k/falcone-pianos-made-in-china

I think some of the techs here may have direct experience. You might post this on the tech forum
If you decide to proceed, please get a private tech inspection.

Dear Jane:

I've liked every one of the original Falcones that I've played. Based on my experiences with the full range of Falcone pianos, I'd rate that 7'4" as rather under priced.

Of course, you must have it inspected by a trusted tech.

Karl Watson,
Staten Island, NY

I was one of the very few Falcone dealers back in the day. It was made in the current Mason factory, and in fact, Santi Falcone built that factory. If you like the piano go for it

Hi janeclassicalove88!

I am very familiar with the original Falcone pianos. I know Santi and his pianos were beautiful. The sales person you are dealing with has no idea what you were playing. Unfortunately, when Santi left the business, his name went with the building and company. A Chinese outfit wound up with the rights to the name and the rest is history.

I agree with Karl Watson. The 7'4" Falcone could be quite a beautiful instrument. I suggest having it examined by an independent technician, but rest assured that it was originally a spectacular piano.

Share the serial number if you have it. Good luck!

Dear, dear Rich:

Thanks for your last. The original Falcones were beautiful pianos. I was beginning to wonder what had happened to our lovely forum. Makes me miss our Marty, of happy memory, all the more.

Karl

Thankfully, you and I (and many others) are still here. This is a great place to spend a little time because I am among friends like you, Karl. Thank you for your input and friendship.... but I still miss Marty, too.

Cheers!

I played a real Santi-built Falcone once--I don't remember its length. I thought, and another person agreed, that the action felt quite heavy.

Roy,

That could very well have been, but that was not the factory spec., for sure. (Of course, heavy to one pianist is sometimes perfect for another and I don't know your perspective).

However, a Falcone action, just like other fine pianos, could have the action customized to an extent to please the pianist. It is also possible that the voicing of this particular piano could have influenced your perception of the weight. As pianists, our perception of touch and tone is continually intermingled, and a difference in one can sometimes be interpreted by our ears and brains as a difference in the other.

My 2 cents,

I hope the OP will return with an update 😊

Hi Rich,

You make lots of good points, as always. I played this particular piano only for a few moments as it was in a jazz club. It was there because it was being showcased by the Falcone company. Several professional pianists played it during the course of the evening, and one or more remarked on the heavy action. After the performance, I had the opportunity to play a few notes because I knew one of the people that worked at the club. It sure felt heavy to me. Of course, this event was a long time ago, so some details have faded.

Hi Roy,

Thanks for responding. I did not mean invalidate your personal experience. There are so many things that could have gone into that situation from factory prep., to prep. at the venue, to the particular piano you played, the environment, etc.

I have just never experienced a Falcone I would call "heavy", so I thought I would throw in my 2 cents.

Cheers,

Your 2 cents are always worth 10 times that.

OP - I'm curious if you ended up purchasing that Falcone Model 74 you were looking at. I'm considering purchasing one from a dealer in the Pacific Northwest, and I'm trying to nail down what a fair price to pay would be. The only other one I can find for sale online right now is in Rockland, MA listed on pianomart.com for $25K, so that's all I have to go from.

Anyone else have thoughts on a fair price for a Falcone 74 in good condition? The serial number of the one I was looking at is in the low 1300s.

Thanks!