Case Studies

Welcome to the new era of e bay. How people can buy a piano which is first and foremost a musical instrument without seeing, hearing and playing first is beyond me.

Good for nothing
Out it goes
Final resting place

These two pianos for example, would have fetched 6 to 800 dollars if auctioned on the internet as they both have quote attractive cases... Both pianos had structural problems and were not worth two bob. As you can see they both ended up at the Kensington tip.

• One woman bought a piano she saw on e bay for $800.00. We advised her to have it checked out first. She had even read our web site and we had two twenty minute conversations regarding the possible problems and that perhaps she should get it looked at. She still went ahead and bought it. We transported it for her. I lifted the lid and saw it had a totally fractured pin block. On delivery I told her and her partner that it should have gone to the tip 50 years ago. Due to the pin block. Twelve months later I received a phone call from them wanting me to testify on their behalf at the Small Claims Tribunal against the seller! I said if I testified it would be on the seller's behalf as they had been advised in two lengthy calls not to purchase this without a technician checking it first and for buyer to beware. The seller was not aware of any problems.

• We picked up a piano for transport. On delivery I asked where the new owners had bought it. On E bay, a $600 bargain. The piano was 1860. Half the notes did not play, there were cracks in the frame, and that it was beyond repair. But it looked nice. The new owners simply said they would re sell it on e bay and recoup their money.

These true life examples are now being repeated on a weekly basis. Is it a waste of time trying to explain to people that they must exercise extreme caution when purchasing a piano on e bay because the owner doesn.t necessarily know what it is they are selling!

• An inner city school spent $15 thousand on grand piano. The tuning pins were loose and painted black, the strings were rusted. It would not hold its tune. I was told that the music teacher had carefully selected this piano. This teacher, whilst with good intentions, wasted the schools money. Do people take their driving instructor when buying a new car ? Why then take along the music teacher to buy a piano.

• A woman bought a brand new piano with a twelve year guarantee. After six years the entire bass string section was dead. The company sent out two technicians to dispute my opinion, but they agreed. The shop manager wanted to re string the bass section but the company did not. After a few years of haggling the owner gave up and sold the piano. So much for the guarantee.

• A customer bought a small American piano supposedly new from shop with a ten year guarantee. Five years on the tuning pins were loose. Looking up the serial number I discovered that the piano was not new upon purchase but already 12 years old. When the customer pressed the shop about it she was informed that the shop no longer imported those pianos and that it was up to her to follow up guarantees with the USA.