Tom Williams Posted March 27 Share Posted March 27 I know, I know. So, I came across a Young Chang 5' on CL, price unspecified. E-mailed "What do you want for it?" and received the response "about $1700." I responded "Seems right; I love YC pianos, but that's out of my reach." Seller responds "What's in reach?" and I write "$500 or $600., using my real name in e-mail. Seller writes "Hi Tom - is there a possibility that we could set up a time to talk? Just by your messages, it truly seems to me that you love pianos and music." === So far, we're proceeding along the scam zone, potentially. Here's where the plot really takes off. Seller provides a (rare) name, and I find seller on FB. One posting on hr FB page was "Hey, anyone want this YC piano for $1700?" Seller tries to call me -- leaves voice mail. I return call, get voice mail, then seller calls me. Explains that she had bought it for her late daughter (seller in her 60s, daughter died in her 40s) Does she try to interest me in shipping? Nope. Does she suddenly live too far away to go pick it up? Nope. Is there a rush? Nope -- I have the month of April to pick it up. It's purportedly a Young Chang model TG157, sold in the late 1990s. Seller says she has the receipts. Is this too good to be true, or have I stumbled upon the one actual nice piano on CL being sold by someone who is honestly downsizing? Quote -Tom Williams {First Name} {at} AirNetworking {dot} com PC4-7, PX-5S, AX-Edge, PC361 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzpiano88 Posted March 27 Share Posted March 27 I would say look up the names Sam Hess and Lorne Malvo before attempting to meet anyone in person. 1 Quote J a z z P i a n o 8 8 -- Yamaha C7D Montage M8x | CP300 | CP4 | SK1-73 | OB6 | Seven K8.2 | 3300 | CPSv.3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My Keys And Me Are Vintage Posted March 27 Share Posted March 27 Good to be cautious; Facebook marketplace burned me once for an Oculus. I let my guard down because I was in a rush and ignored the usual warnings. D'Oh! The red flag to me is not posting an asking price and her considering the lowball offer so easily. However, she does not push you to have it shipped which would require a payment first. So could be real. I've seen lowball offers get accepted before. I would ask if she could send a picture of the original receipt. If she does, it should be legit. Maybe say that you will bring along a friend who knows more about these than you do to see if that worries her. Good Luck. Could be a great find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyRude Posted March 27 Share Posted March 27 4 Quote Some music I've recorded and played over the years with a few different bands Tommy Rude Soundcloud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Williams Posted March 27 Author Share Posted March 27 17 hours ago, jazzpiano88 said: I would say look up the names Sam Hess and Lorne Malvo before attempting to meet anyone in person. WTF? Best to presume I have no knowledge of popular culture, and just say whatever it is you want to say. Quote -Tom Williams {First Name} {at} AirNetworking {dot} com PC4-7, PX-5S, AX-Edge, PC361 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Williams Posted March 27 Author Share Posted March 27 17 hours ago, TommyRude said: I understood JazzPiano88's post better than I understand this. C'mon guys, help me out here. Quote -Tom Williams {First Name} {at} AirNetworking {dot} com PC4-7, PX-5S, AX-Edge, PC361 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerrythek Posted March 27 Share Posted March 27 23 minutes ago, Tom Williams said: I understood JazzPiano88's post better than I understand this. C'mon guys, help me out here. He's graphically saying "tread carefully"... I had to look up JazzPiano88's names... seems to be saying she could be a murderer. Sometimes we're too cute (and/or snarky) for our own good online... But I will say I found TommyRude's response funny. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.F.N. Posted March 27 Share Posted March 27 Could be a rare case of someone actually being a good person and having not a lot of calls on the item. Don't go there alone, meet outside before, check the area first etc. Good luck! 2 Quote "You live every day. You only die once." Where is Major Tom? - - - - - Band Rig: PC3, HX3 w. B4D, 61SLMkII Other stuff: Prologue 16, KingKORG, Opsix, DM12D, Argon8m, EX5R, Toraiz AS-1, IK Uno, Toraiz SP-16, Erica LXR-02, QY-700, SQ64, Beatstep Pro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Franz Schiller Posted March 27 Share Posted March 27 If you're buying a piano, don't you need actual piano movers? It seems like there are kind of too many logistics to be a scam if the seller and you need to agree to a moving date where a contractor needs to show up. Really, very few piano buy actual acoustic pianos in 2024, so I bet that you were the only interested party. And if the piano has some sentimental weight to it, the Mom might just want it to go to a good home where it's going to be used and loved. 18 hours ago, jazzpiano88 said: I would say look up the names Sam Hess and Lorne Malvo before attempting to meet anyone in person. I think this is a spoiler for a TV show, so do NOT look it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Emm Posted March 27 Share Posted March 27 1 hour ago, Tom Williams said: I understood JazzPiano88's post better than I understand this. C'mon guys, help me out here. If you play Peer Gynt's "Hall of the Mountain King" as the guy tip-toes, it makes a lot more sense. Quote "I like that rapper with the bullet in his nose!" "Yeah, Bulletnose! One sneeze and the whole place goes up!" ~ "King of the Hill" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thethirdapple Posted March 27 Share Posted March 27 Given that you “have the month” to make the deal. Depending on the distance, take it for a test drive! Ask to see and try it prior to purchasing. PEACE _ _ _ Quote When musical machines communicate, we had better listen… http://youtube.com/@ecoutezpourentendre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesB3 Posted March 27 Share Posted March 27 1 hour ago, Tom Williams said: I understood JazzPiano88's post better than I understand this. C'mon guys, help me out here. He's metaphorically saying you're walking through a minefield. Quote Yamaha CP73; 145 gig Leslie; Nord Electro 61; Oberheim OB3^2; Wurlitzer 200A; Ampeg Gemini I amp; Speakeasy Leslie preamp; QSC K-10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melving Posted March 27 Share Posted March 27 There are a lot of fraudsters on Facebook. Does the profile check out? Not made last year? Lotsa friends, reasonable bio? I would meet the seller in person and look at the instrument. This one sounds like it might check out, though. I've waded through a bunch on facebook and reported as fraud a whole bunch with profiles made in the last 12 months. At least this person spoke to you and presumably sounded like the gender they claimed to be... There are some pretty good deals on facebook. I picked up a set of speakers for just a couple bucks from someone who was genuinely downsizing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Gauss Posted March 28 Share Posted March 28 A couple years ago, a guy put up a Yamaha C7 grand for free on craigslist. He was in a high rise 20 or 30 floors up overlooking Manhattan. Seemed a bit scammy to me (it looked pristine in ad) but since it was never gonna fit in my cramped living room, i stayed away. About a month later, I played a gig at a club and they had a beautiful C7 on stage that wasn't there the last time i played. Amazing shape, beautiful sound. Yup, they got it for free from the ad... well, I think it cost around $600 move it and retune it. Ya never know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KuruPrionz Posted March 28 Share Posted March 28 22 hours ago, Tom Williams said: I know, I know. So, I came across a Young Chang 5' on CL, price unspecified. E-mailed "What do you want for it?" and received the response "about $1700." I responded "Seems right; I love YC pianos, but that's out of my reach." Seller responds "What's in reach?" and I write "$500 or $600., using my real name in e-mail. Seller writes "Hi Tom - is there a possibility that we could set up a time to talk? Just by your messages, it truly seems to me that you love pianos and music." === So far, we're proceeding along the scam zone, potentially. Here's where the plot really takes off. Seller provides a (rare) name, and I find seller on FB. One posting on hr FB page was "Hey, anyone want this YC piano for $1700?" Seller tries to call me -- leaves voice mail. I return call, get voice mail, then seller calls me. Explains that she had bought it for her late daughter (seller in her 60s, daughter died in her 40s) Does she try to interest me in shipping? Nope. Does she suddenly live too far away to go pick it up? Nope. Is there a rush? Nope -- I have the month of April to pick it up. It's purportedly a Young Chang model TG157, sold in the late 1990s. Seller says she has the receipts. Is this too good to be true, or have I stumbled upon the one actual nice piano on CL being sold by someone who is honestly downsizing? I think you found a live one to be honest. She probably didn't have an idea of how much she wanted for it and somebody else gave her a price to start with. Go take a look, play it and make a deal. Yes, you will need a crew to move it. Pay her when you have decided and have a crew to move it then. Quote It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzpiano88 Posted March 28 Share Posted March 28 6 hours ago, Franz Schiller said: On 3/26/2024 at 9:17 PM, jazzpiano88 said: I would say look up the names Sam Hess and Lorne Malvo before attempting to meet anyone in person. I think this is a spoiler for a TV show, so do NOT look it up. Sorry for that. I didn't mean to spoil the 2014 Fargo Series Season 1 partial plot (one can argue whether it is a significant spoiler or not). Billy Bob Thornton plays Lorne Malvo in this classic series reprising the Cohen Brothers' Fargo Film back story. If you like either Billy Bob Thornton, or the Cohen Brother's work or the movie, Fargo, you will be absolutely enthralled with Season 1 of this series. Trust me. I only made the joke cuz I thought the scenario seemed like it was a scam, but I could be wrong based on others saying it can be legit. Tom, Please ignore my response and I send you my apologies. 1 Quote J a z z P i a n o 8 8 -- Yamaha C7D Montage M8x | CP300 | CP4 | SK1-73 | OB6 | Seven K8.2 | 3300 | CPSv.3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Williams Posted March 28 Author Share Posted March 28 3 hours ago, Melving said: There are a lot of fraudsters on Facebook. Does the profile check out? Not made last year? Lotsa friends, reasonable bio? I would meet the seller in person and look at the instrument. This one sounds like it might check out, though. I've waded through a bunch on facebook and reported as fraud a whole bunch with profiles made in the last 12 months. At least this person spoke to you and presumably sounded like the gender they claimed to be... There are some pretty good deals on facebook. I picked up a set of speakers for just a couple bucks from someone who was genuinely downsizing... This actually started on Craigs List. I looked her up later on FB. Her telephone voice matches the FB picture, a plus. 1 Quote -Tom Williams {First Name} {at} AirNetworking {dot} com PC4-7, PX-5S, AX-Edge, PC361 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Mike Metlay Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 Has anyone considered the fact that this woman sees this piano as a constant reminder of her dead daughter and maybe just wants it gone? 1 Quote Dr. Mike Metlay (PhD in nuclear physics, golly gosh) Musician, Author, Editor, Educator, Impresario, Online Radio Guy, Cut-Rate Polymath, and Kindly Pedant Editor-in-Chief, Bjooks ~ Author of SYNTH GEMS 1 clicky!: more about me ~ my radio station (and my fam) ~ my local tribe ~ my day job ~ my book ~ my music Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RABid Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 When we sold my parents' house I tried and tried to find someone to take the Boston piano made in the late 1800's. It used to be a player piano. One of those tall pianos with the sliding openings to let the beautiful sound out. Could not find anyone. Finally made it a package deal. Buy the house, get the piano. The young couple that bought the house got divorced a year later, sold the house and went their separate ways. I wonder if the piano is still there. Quote This post edited for speling. My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Franz Schiller Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 On 3/27/2024 at 9:24 PM, jazzpiano88 said: Sorry for that. I didn't mean to spoil the 2014 Fargo Series Season 1 partial plot (one can argue whether it is a significant spoiler or not). Billy Bob Thornton plays Lorne Malvo in this classic series reprising the Cohen Brothers' Fargo Film back story. If you like either Billy Bob Thornton, or the Cohen Brother's work or the movie, Fargo, you will be absolutely enthralled with Season 1 of this series. Trust me. I only made the joke cuz I thought the scenario seemed like it was a scam, but I could be wrong based on others saying it can be legit. Tom, Please ignore my response and I send you my apologies. LOL I know it seems ridiculous; I just watched the most recent season of Fargo, and have NOT seen the earlier ones. So it's kind of a spoiler for me. I only realized that because I googled it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzpiano88 Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 3 hours ago, Franz Schiller said: LOL I know it seems ridiculous; I just watched the most recent season of Fargo, and have NOT seen the earlier ones. So it's kind of a spoiler for me. I only realized that because I googled it. Sorry. Yeah, you want to stop reading once you know they're in the cast if you plan to watch it. Fortunately they probably don't mention anything about a dentist in the first paragraph. BTW, IMO Fargo went monotonically downhill after the first season, and it won't make any sense whatsoever if you don't watch them in order. Quote J a z z P i a n o 8 8 -- Yamaha C7D Montage M8x | CP300 | CP4 | SK1-73 | OB6 | Seven K8.2 | 3300 | CPSv.3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Williams Posted April 7 Author Share Posted April 7 Update It's real. I took a day trip to the Pittsburgh area today, visited the seller, and played on the piano. I brought along a buddy who has some piano tuning skills (post-grad studies, believe it or not) and had moved a few pianos when he was college faculty. It's in pretty good shape for being ~3 years since its last tuning. The finish is flawless -- pretty good for a piano purchased new in 1999 (I saw the receipt. Seller kept meticulous records.) Some lower dampers are a bit sluggish, and there's a little sticking between the F# and G a 12th above middle C. Oh, and Una Corda doesn't move the action far enough. Like the YC pianos I remember from the 1980s, this 5'2" (157 cm) piano sounds like a 7' or bigger. Gorgeous timbre. Now all I gotta do is figure out how to get it to my house in two weeks without breaking the bank on the logistics end of it. P.S. -- does anyone know how to remove the legs from a YC baby grand? 6 Quote -Tom Williams {First Name} {at} AirNetworking {dot} com PC4-7, PX-5S, AX-Edge, PC361 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K K Posted April 7 Share Posted April 7 A word to the wise. Hire pro piano movers. Period. It is worth the expense. Oh and.. Did I mention to hire pro piano movers ? 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MathOfInsects Posted April 7 Share Posted April 7 3 hours ago, Tom Williams said: Update It's real. I took a day trip to the Pittsburgh area today, visited the seller, and played on the piano. I brought along a buddy who has some piano tuning skills (post-grad studies, believe it or not) and had moved a few pianos when he was college faculty. It's in pretty good shape for being ~3 years since its last tuning. The finish is flawless -- pretty good for a piano purchased new in 1999 (I saw the receipt. Seller kept meticulous records.) Some lower dampers are a bit sluggish, and there's a little sticking between the F# and G a 12th above middle C. Oh, and Una Corda doesn't move the action far enough. Like the YC pianos I remember from the 1980s, this 5'2" (157 cm) piano sounds like a 7' or bigger. Gorgeous timbre. Now all I gotta do is figure out how to get it to my house in two weeks without breaking the bank on the logistics end of it. P.S. -- does anyone know how to remove the legs from a YC baby grand? Congrats, Tom! Quote Now out! "Mind the Gap," a 24-song album of new material. www.joshweinstein.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Muscara Posted April 7 Share Posted April 7 5 hours ago, K K said: A word to the wise. Hire pro piano movers. Period. It is worth the expense. Oh and.. Did I mention to hire pro piano movers ? I don't know what your budget is Tom, but I've found that piano movers don't cost unreasonable amounts. They know what they're doing. The buddy who went with you should be able to help you find someone who can do it. Congrats and good luck! 1 Quote "I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck "The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
analogika Posted April 7 Share Posted April 7 Do not skimp on the moving. Do not attempt it yourself. Do not hire friends or regular movers to do it. Get pro piano movers. They will save you money in damage avoided to the finish of the piano, in damage avoided to buildings/hallways/stairwells, in time required to figure out how to dismantle/fixate things to make them transportable and reassemble them safely, and in medical bills for everyone involved. 1 Quote "The Angels of Libra are in the European vanguard of the [retro soul] movement" (Bill Buckley, Soul and Jazz and Funk) The Drawbars | off jazz organ trio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonglow Posted April 7 Share Posted April 7 +1 for a piano mover. Also, obtain a few estimates if possible. I recently moved a spinet out of my mom’s basement, and the first guy I called wanted $1,800. Younger kid, rather snippy/arrogant, gave me a litany of what would be involved. Said he could squeeze me into his schedule. I then found a local family-owned piano moving business that has been around for over 40 years; they did it for $300. I must confess experiencing some delight in telling the fist guy to go piss up a rope. 2 Quote "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MathOfInsects Posted April 7 Share Posted April 7 +whatever number we’re at on this one. It’s not very expensive to move a piano with good piano movers. And very expensive not to and to wish you had. 2 Quote Now out! "Mind the Gap," a 24-song album of new material. www.joshweinstein.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Williams Posted April 7 Author Share Posted April 7 17 hours ago, Tom Williams said: how to get it to my house in two weeks without breaking the bank Those four words may affect my ability to take the sage advice about professional piano movers. This move isn't across town -- it's a hundred mile run from one small town to another. Quote -Tom Williams {First Name} {at} AirNetworking {dot} com PC4-7, PX-5S, AX-Edge, PC361 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MathOfInsects Posted April 7 Share Posted April 7 1 hour ago, Tom Williams said: Those four words may affect my ability to take the sage advice about professional piano movers. This move isn't across town -- it's a hundred mile run from one small town to another. The cost of regretting moving this yourself or with non-pros far exceeds anything you'll spend to do it correctly, plus anything you saved on the low offer for the piano itself. It's like buying the Hope Diamond and carrying it home velcro'd to the outside of your backpack. I mean, it *might* work out fine, but it's not worth the bet-on-red to find out. Not to mention, even a low-level snafu in any part of the process will then cost you more in piano tech on the other end--cost easily greater than the few hundred for legit piano movers. I moved a grand piano from NY to CA and I don't think it was more than $700. The cost for piano moving is really in the initial move-out/move-in. Otherwise it takes no real room in their trucks; you're paying gas and time after that, nothing else. 3 Quote Now out! "Mind the Gap," a 24-song album of new material. www.joshweinstein.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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