Mechanical Music Digest  Archives
You Are Not Logged In Login/Get New Account
Please Log In. Accounts are free!
Logged In users are granted additional features including a more current version of the Archives and a simplified process for submitting articles.
Home Archives Calendar Gallery Store Links Info
MMD > Archives > April 1998 > 1998.04.09 > 19Prev  Next


Player Pianos Do Wear Out
By John A. Tuttle

[ Elizabeth wrote to John:]  I have an interested buyer and don't
really know the value of my player piano.  Could you help me out?

 [ John replied:]  My guesstimate, based on pricing in the New Jersey
and tri-state area would be $3500.00 for the player and $450.00 ea. for
the cabinets and rolls.

 [ Elizabeth:]  My mother paid $3500 for piano and all, about 14 years
ago, but I thought it would be worth more than what she paid.  So, I
wanted an expert opinion.

 [ John concludes:]

Hi Elizabeth,  Considering that you enjoyed the instrument for all
these years, a guesstimated value of exactly the same amount as was
paid seems to be strongly in your favor.  Consider for a moment that
most every tangible item looses 50% of it's value as soon as it is
sold, and you get my drift.

Player pianos, unlike fine violins, only get worse as they age, and
therefore become less valuable.  I was told as an apprentice that
player pianos wouldn't become collectible items until the year 2025.
This has proven to be somewhat untrue in the past twenty years, but the
fact remains that any machine wears as it is used and player pianos are
machines.

Musically,
John A. Tuttle


Key Words in Subject:  Do, Out, Pianos, Player, Wear

Home    Archives    Calendar    Gallery    Store    Links    Info   


Enter text below to search the MMD Website with Google



CONTACT FORM: Click HERE to write to the editor, or to post a message about Mechanical Musical Instruments to the MMD

Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are those of the individual authors and may not represent those of the editors. Compilation copyright 1995-2024 by Jody Kravitz.

Please read our Republication Policy before copying information from or creating links to this web site.

Click HERE to contact the webmaster regarding problems with the website.

Please support publication of the MMD by donating online

Please Support Publication of the MMD with your Generous Donation

Pay via PayPal

No PayPal account required

                                     
Translate This Page