Custom-built pianos

[Thomas Cole]

Eureka, you have found it, Dale. A fitting home for the magnificent D. 
And I found it at www.arkleycenter.com

Tom Cole

Fenton Murray wrote:

> Dale,
> I'm thrilled to hear the wonderful completion of your D's journey 
> through your hands, I plan to visit it. Something's wrong with your 
> link to the theatre.
> Fenton
>
>     ----- Original Message -----
>     From: Erwinspiano at aol.com <mailto:Erwinspiano at aol.com>
>     To: pianotech at ptg.org <mailto:pianotech at ptg.org>
>     Sent: Sunday, February 25, 2007 10:16 PM
>     Subject: Custom-built pianos
>
>       Hi  David
>       Of course ,I'm beating that drum with you.  I didn't see Dave
>     Porritts post. Can some one e-mail it to me.
>       Black Beauty....My D, did sell ....finally...for the figures
>     mentioned but it was worth more than that in reality & in time
>     these custom built pianos from a variety of small shops will
>     (hopefully)have the kind of reputation required to command higher
>     prices than the mass produced one.
>       I as David A. stated I did deliver the D to it's location at the
>     Arkely center for the performing arts in Eureka Calif just
>     yesterday.  The Center is a 1920's theatre that has been
>     meticulously restored & is a perfect acoustic location to enshrine
>     this wonderful full voiced piano.
>       After setting it up, those of us there walked about the
>     auditorium to hear how it spoke in the room.
>       I was totally & completly gratified that, after the arduous
>     restoration, sweat, tears & joy of experienced music in concerts &
>     tedious /marketing that, IMHO, it's final acoustic destiny was
>     worthy of the effort & will be a center piece of the musical
>     performing community on the extreme Northern Calif coast for years
>     to come. See www. <http://www.ArkelyCenter.com/>ArkelyCenter.com/
>     <http://www.ArkelyCenter.com/>
>       Thanks to all those, who upon hearing Black Beauty In
>     Rochester,The Atelier & the 05 Sacramento Convention uttered
>      words of praise , encouragement & enthusiasm.
>       Kindest regards
>       Dale Erwin
>      
>     On Feb 23, 2007, at 4:42 AM, Porritt, David wrote:
>
>>         This is the way of all the top instruments.  
>>
>         That's exactly right. Custom restoration, custom building.
>         It's all in the quality and THEN THE MARKETING, which most
>         artisans don't have a clue about, or are afraid to spend or
>         don't have the money (they think) to spend on the crucial
>         third leg of the stool---
>         1. excellent design & impeccable, stand-out capabilities to
>         produce a super product 
>         2. reliable means of production
>           3. effective marketing/branding. 
>
>         Lack of this last one, along with cash flow issues, kills most
>         artisan efforts, or keeps them in the perceptual "doghouse"
>         vis-a-vis not being a "serious player at the high end." 
>
>>         The top French horns, flutes, violins etc. are all made in
>>         very small shops.  The fact that we now have a few pianos
>>         being made this way is progress. 
>>
>         Yup. And I'm determined to build a brand and a desire for my
>         and other artisans' truly hand-built custom pianos.
>         I think the scoreboard proves it's possible: I've sold, in the
>         past 6 months, a Mason & Hamlin concert grand for $78,000, a
>         Steinway "C" for $66,000, and I'm about to sell my Hamburg "B"
>         for $55,000---and I could sell it to this guy for $10K more if
>         I hadn't put the $55K figure on my website and handouts---he
>         flat fell in love with the instrument, and has been looking at
>         "B's" between $65-75K; Dale Erwin sold the "D" I had for a
>         while to a venue in northern California for at least $75 or
>         80K---so I think I can say with certitude that there's a
>         market for our best work, and that that market can be found
>         and served by artisan rebuilders. 
>
>>         The best factory made instruments of any type will never
>>         approach the small shop output in quality.  It’s just that in
>>         our history this phenomenon has excluded pianos.  Now it
>>         doesn’t.
>>
>         Hooray.
>
>>         dp
>>
>
>         David Andersen
>
>      
>      
>     Dale Erwin--Piano Restorations
>     4721 Parker rd
>     Modesto, Ca. 95357
>     Shop 209-577-8397
>     Web site http://www.Erwinspiano.com <http://www.erwinspiano.com/>
>     Restoration & Sales of
>     Steinway & Sons & other fine pianos.
>     " Soundboards by Design"
>
>
>
>     AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's
>     free from AOL at AOL.com
>     <http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/1615326657x4311227241x4298082137/aol?redir=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eaol%2Ecom>.
>
>
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