Is this a reasonable price for a rebuilt Steinway?

[unknownlegend]

I am considering a purchase of a rebuilt Steinway M series from Beethoven Pianos in NYC and after speaking with the salesman he told me the prices for the 3 or so rebuilt Steinways they have right now would be in the high "30s".  Should I expect to pay in this range for these pianos, assuming the quality and workmanship are of good quality?

Thanks!

[pianohopper]

Model specifications: https://www.steinway.com/steinway/specs/model_m.shtml

Besbrode Pianos Leeds: £16,995 reconditioned (www.besbrodepianos.co.uk/showroom/showroom786.htm )

Forsyth Bros.: £18900

Fred Myers Pianos/Organs/Clocks: $38,970 (https://www.fredmyers.com/pages/600028/)

just a few quotes i found on google

[jeremyjchilds]

I guess, the problem is tha re-built can really mean anything..

Honestly, I went into a store once and they told me a piano was rebuilt...All it had done was a new set of tapes, hammer re-filing, and glued on key-tops (the keys werent even re-surfaced...the sharps dipped below the whites...that is about 500 dollars worth of work. that's an oil change. The geometry of the action was way off due to the smaller hammers, and notes were double striking among other things.

THat is an extreme example, and I of course don't know anything about the guys who rebuilt your piano. A real rebuilding that includes everything ends up costing well over 10k, and includes a lot on things that can't be seen. Ask for the actual tech who worked on the piano and ask him to show you everything he has done to the piano from beginning to end. If it doesent add up, then you are getting ripped off

I would pay that price for a rebuild that was painstakingly done, but please be careful, and bring in your own tech to critique the re-build. I (as a tech) would go look at a piano for the same price as I would tune a piano, (it's fun) so call your trusted tech

Not to put you off, there are a lot of guys who really do a good job, but every once in a while...

[thalberg]

I don't know where you're buying your piano, so forgive me if this is useless.  But one of the best rebuilders is Faust Harrison in New York (are you already going there?). 

If you want to compare prices, go to faustharrisonpianos.com and look at their inventory list--it has lots of models and prices.

Also go to pianocraft.com and find Keith Kerman's phone number--he rebuilds pianos and you can compare prices there too.

[catherinel]

I think you mean pianocraft.net - not .com 

BTW - Faust Harrison is a wonderful place to shop for a rebuilt piano! I spent 4 hours recently between their Irvington "showroom" - really their house! and their factory. They pay attention to detail! Good Luck!

Cath

[Axtremus]

Don't forget Steinway Hall itself, just a few minute's walk from Beethoven's and Faust-Harrison's. A&C PianoCraft is also within walking distance (I have fond memory of A&C's action work having played some of their rebuilts about 2 years ago). All these places are within walking distance of each other, go comparison-shop them all.

Depending on what you want a piano for, as you shop all these different places, you can also sample other new and used pianos and see what other options in that "high $30k" range might appeal to you. It's just another dimension of comparison shopping.

Good luck.

[iumonito]

High 30s for an M is high.

[ajw400]

I agree that the price may be a little high *in general* for M's, but it is possible that one came out really beautifully and that it's worth more.
The work I've seen at Beethoven pianos in the past was ranging from reasonable to excellent, which means good in my books. You may also want to check out Pyrianos in Greenwich Conn., their work is consistently excellent. I don't trust Faust at all, they tend to mark up the prices for their work and I've seen a few really truly bad pianos that have been rebuilt there, but this doesn't mean that there aren't any excellent pianos there....

[rich1949]

I would certainly recommend Beethoven's Pianos.  The rebuilds I've seen have been excellent.  They also stand by their work.

Rich