Hi Dick, I checked on a friend of mine (post Sandy) in Astoria,
very close to the Steinway factory.  He told me everything was fine.
He said there was little damage, there was no flooding and they had
electric power.  The Steinway factory is safely above sea level.

Many of my customers were "hammered" by the storm and their instruments
destroyed.  Keith Bigger, Randolph Herr, Ira Malek and myself restored
a Knabe Ampico grand for Marvin Eisenstadt, the owner of Sweet and Low.
Marvin called me a few days ago telling me his home in Neponsit (very
close to that disastrous fire in Breezy Point) was totally destroyed in
a flood.  Marvin told me the piano was "toast" and asked what I thought
it was worth as a total write-off.

I have another customer who lives right on the Great South Bay in Long
Island.  He had a foot of water downstairs that housed his player
piano, orchestrion and numerous novelties.  He also had an orchestrion
made by Ragtime that included a bass guitar, banjo, guitar, several
percussion instruments.  Unfortunately, he was in Florida and could not
look out for his collection.

I am on high ground in Long Island and I did okay.  I regained electric
power a day after the storm.  Several trees fell down without doing
damage.  I look at it as firewood.

Bill Maguire