A Kawai and Chickering were in a tight race, until one took off and surpassed the other. My whole Saturday was consumed with evaluating two pianos: a practically brand new "Kawai" 5'1" grand and a larger, nearly 5'8" size "Chickering," 1980. The Kawai captured my interest because a smaller studio upright of the same brand… Continue reading A Day with Two Piano Finalists
Category: Larry Fine
Do’s and Don’ts for Piano Buyers and Sellers (Dream Piano’s last Chapter)
DO’s for Buyers If possible take along a Registered Piano Technician and performing pianist with a good pair of ears to evaluate a used or new piano on the market. You can find a list of RPT members at your Piano Technicians’ Guild online site, or look in the business or Yellow Pages for the… Continue reading Do’s and Don’ts for Piano Buyers and Sellers (Dream Piano’s last Chapter)
DREAM PIANO: Overview and Acknowledgments
My two-year long romp on the piano finding trail with York as my professional companion and consultant had been worth all the time spent in, around and under pianos. How else would I have acquired knowledge about the piano’s harp, or cast iron plate were it not for his having the bravado to dismantle it… Continue reading DREAM PIANO: Overview and Acknowledgments
Recording on a SLEEPER Dream Piano
On a whim, I had decided to make an hour long trip to Visalia about 50 miles south of Fresno to sniff out the stock over at the “Piano Gallery.” (This was before it went out of business) A medium size establishment in an upscale shopping mall, it was owned by “Ginnadiy Merkerin,” a Russian… Continue reading Recording on a SLEEPER Dream Piano
Samick, York, Tofujie and me: On the piano-chasing trail
York called me from a client's home in Clovis right after our great treasure-seeking adventure under the Kawai 7-foot grand piano. He'd been appraising a Samick studio upright manufactured in 1990 that was owned by Joel Van Ginkel. "I'd appraise it at about $2000," he said, "but between you 'n me, he'll unload the piana' for a lot… Continue reading Samick, York, Tofujie and me: On the piano-chasing trail
A High Stakes Piano Finding Adventure, or was it a Sopranos TV episode?
A woman named “Sharon Cooper," phoned me one Saturday morning about my helping her select a console size piano in a modest price range. She had heard about my piano finding activity from a friend. Inquisitive and intelligent, with an animated personality, she had an ardent curiosity about the whole process of finding a suitable… Continue reading A High Stakes Piano Finding Adventure, or was it a Sopranos TV episode?