Post by George KateleThe subject tells it all. I've begun the hunt for a new piano. I'm in
no hurry, and a used will do (if it's good!). Looking for a grand piano
to replace my Baldwin Hamilton that I've had since 1976.
Looking for an honest, low pressure outfit that's willing to negotiate
and talk.
Any suggestions?
Well, it's been a couple of years since I spent a year shopping for a new piano
here in Chicago, but this is my take. Understand this info could be somewhat
dated.
In the new piano business, depending upon which brand you're interested in you
may not have many choices in terms of dealers.
If you're interested in Steinway or Boston pianos, Beautiful Sound is the
exclusive dealer in the area. If he is still with them, talk with Steve, their
sales manager (I believe), who can typically be found at their Burr Ridge
store. Steve is a great guy, but they do not negotiate on Steinway new piano
prices at all.
Yamaha pianos are available from several outfits - I am familiar with Hendricks
Piano in Downers Grove and Karnes Music, which has several stores in the area.
I bought a Yamaha U3 from "Jim" at Karnes' downtown store a couple of years ago
-- I would highly recommend working with him, but alas, the store has closed
and I don't believe he's with Karnes any more. I got a very good price from
them - I think you'll find that all of the Yamaha dealers will have the ability
to be aggressive on price if you shop around and let them know you're a serious
buyer.
I visited Kurt Safir Pianos up on the North Shore a couple of times. They had
a very large supply of Charles Walters pianos. They also handle some European
brands such as Schimmel and Bosendorfer (I've never seen those brands at any
other dealer in Chicago). My sense is that it's a family-run business, and
since they handle some brands that likely aren't available anywhere else in the
area they do everything they can to fetch top dollar.
If you're looking for other European brands such as Bechstein or August
Forster, see Matt at the Pickle Piano Company over in Bloomingdale. He is a
very, very knowledgable fellow, although I wouldn't necessarily call him low
pressure. That being said, I never found him to be annoying and he seems to
offer some brands that aren't available anywhere else.
There are plenty of other examples, but the point remains that I think it is
more important to find the piano you want and then negotiate your best price.
My gut tells me that if you deal with managers or owners directly (such as Matt
at Pickle Piano) you may be able to get a better price.
Good luck.
Michael W.
Chicago, IL, USA