URGENT (time-wise): Young Chang vs. Nordiska (Larry??)
Gary Rimar
purchase.
a) Young Chang 4' 11" G 150 White, 11 years old, seems to be fine, tech is
checking it out tomorrow.
b) 2002 Mahogany Nordiska 152 (serial # DG05200) from a dealer (Grant
Wolach, PianoWorks, Ferndale MI, who said to say hi to Larry Fine).
Pricing:
I have a Baldwin Concert 6000, and it won't fit into the new place I'm
buying (it's the story of my life). Enough other stuff works which is why
I'm buying this place anyway. The Baldwin is on consignment sale at a local
music store, and if/when it goes I see $3,000.00.
The Young Chang is a sale out of a local ad trader paper. The story on the
piano (if you care to believe it) is that the owner got sick and the brother
is holding the piano. The brother has a SMALL condo, and the piano takes up
80 percent of his dining room, and he'd like his dining room back. He will
sell to me for $3,100.00. I've played the piano and it seems as decent as
expected.
The Nordiska is available for $3,500 and my piano, and the cost of the move
(which is about $300-400 dollars) will be included in that price.
By doing some creative extrapoliation, the new Nordiska will cost me
$3,000.00 more than the Young Chang, assuming that I do get to sell the
Baldwin (which is an assumption).
Concerns:
I have had my technician and a friend who is in the piano business (but is
not a technician) try to steer me away from "any Chinese piano" based on
reputation. They both admit that they haven't touched one lately, but the
ones that they have seen have been major problems.
I don't think I can go too far wrong with the Young Chang (even though it is
white). It will go up the stairs, it is already marked down based on color
(and urgency to get a room back), and the seller seems nice enough. Still,
the Nordiska (in the showroom) sounds better, "has a sand-casted bridge,"
and seems easier to play both soft and loud. I just don't want to buy a
piano that I'm going to not enjoy 3-5 years from now.
I never thought about testing a piano this way, but Grant (ever the
salesman) said "listen to how long this note sustains" and hit a note at
about MP and held it down. The tone did carry for quite a bit of time.
Looking forward to responses.
Gary
Larry
>Still,
>the Nordiska (in the showroom) sounds better, "has a sand-casted bridge,"
>and seems easier to play both soft and loud.
You mean a sand cast *plate*.
Get the Nordiska. Neither of these pianos are what you would call a premium
piano, you know. But an under 5' piano is nothing more than a glorified coffee
table. And the Nordiska is actually more musical than the tiny YC (as you've
already noted).
I don't see any reason why it won't last you at least 10-15 years if you keep
it maintained.
Larry Fletcher
ptooner
"Larry" <larryin...@aol.composer> wrote in message
news:20031109133045...@mb-m02.aol.com...
the model Nordiska you mention, but I'm going to assume it is a tiny grand
made in China. Any piano that small is really furniture, so I'd say pay as
little as possible. The YC is priced far more reasonably at about 25% of
it's new price and neither piano is going to make you happy in the long run
I suspect. So, get the YC at a price where you can get rid of it again with
little or no loss.
gerry
Gary Rimar
Unfortunately, I don't think I can get a 6 foot piano into this place short
of a fork lift onto the balcony ($1,000.00 + for the move).
I think I'll be happier with the Nordiska, assuming that it holds up. I
don't know if I'll be $3,500.00 happier, however, and there is the rub.
That, and will it hold up?
At least I can get away with a white piano where I am moving. The whole
room is white right now.
We'll have to see.
Gary (still open to input from folks) Rimar
"ptooner" <no...@yourlife.com> wrote in message
news:9CArb.11539$j_4.10345@lakeread05...
Larry
>So, get the YC at a price where you can get rid of it again with
>little or no loss.
Don't forget - the YC is white. Getting rid of a white piano is near
impossible.
Larry Fletcher
ptooner
"Larry" <larryin...@aol.composer> wrote in message
etc would gladly buy a white piano for a small discount. Individuals
usually don't want them. And I'm sure you know that most of those places
would be just as quick to buy a small low quality piano as a good one.
Gerry
Jolly
I don't post very often, but I do like to read the group. And yes, I'm
the guy who owns a Nordiska.
Two things stand out:
1. Ain't 3 large a bit low for a 6000, even on consignment?
2. If you like the 5 footer, please try the 5'5" Nordiska. It's not
much bigger, and delivers a lot more, especially on the bottom end.
I know that Chinese pianos can be variable, but mine has had 0
problems in two years. Larry is right on the money, it ain't no
Steinway, but it doesn't cost Steinway money, either.
Course, it helps a bunch if you have a good tech prep the h-e-double
hockey sticks out of it. :-)
Gary Rimar
"Jolly" <tbjo...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1f6aebde.03111...@posting.google.com...
> Hi Gary,
>
> I don't post very often, but I do like to read the group. And yes, I'm
> the guy who owns a Nordiska.
>
> Two things stand out:
>
> 1. Ain't 3 large a bit low for a 6000, even on consignment?
Where do you live? It could be shipped to you and you'd get such a deal
8^). I have to agree with you, but I couldn't find someone who would do
better, and I had to get it out of this space.
I have the "right" to take redelivery of the piano at any time at no charge
(because I paid to move it to the store). Maybe I should place an ad, and
if someone buys it then I'll get it "retrieved" and out of there.
> 2. If you like the 5 footer, please try the 5'5" Nordiska. It's not
> much bigger, and delivers a lot more, especially on the bottom end.
It looks like I'm going to go with the YC after all. My tech checked it out
today, found out that it has almost no wear on it (apparently it didn't see
much use), and for the price I can't go wrong.
Gary (there's not $3,500.00 of difference between the two pianos) Rimar