To buy a new Steinway or not to buy new, that is the question. Or is that the question? The answer is more straightforward than many people understand.

When considering the possibility of buying a brand new grand Steinway piano directly from the factory, or buying a restored or rebuilt Steinway, there really is no comparison.

Of course when you purchase a new Steinway Piano you get the factory warranty and back-up and support of the original Steinway and Sons factory itself. You also know that if there are any serious flaws or problems with the piano that the factory will take care of the problem. Whether you chose an instrument directly from the floors of Steinway in New York, or from a certified Steinway Gallery, you will be choosing an excellent instrument.

However, the question lies not on just on the quality of service that the Steinway factory, dealers and distributors can supply, but whether or not you can you receive the same service and warranty from Steinway resellers. The answer is both yes and no. Some yes, some no. In fact, some rebuilders offer longer guarantees on parts like the soundboard than the Steinway and Sons factory or Steinway Galleries, so there is no loss there. And many of these places have had years of reputable service that is comparable to the best of the Steinway dealers, so there is no problem there either.

There is a caveat, however. And that is that one must know and understand the dealer that they are purchasing the piano from. Unfortunately, in the piano business, like many other industries, there are those that make there living by praying on the ignorance of the masses. There are pianos that have been restored improperly, incorrectly, and will not have the correct sound or touch that the Steinway pianos are so well noted for.

So the easiest method to qualify a reseller that is rebuilding Steinway pianos is to find out if the restoration was done by a certified Steinway Technician, and then find out where the pianos that are restored are going. For example, many of our pianos are restored by the same technician who restored the Steinway Concert D used in the Lincoln Center, New York City. One of the most prestigious concert halls in the world. From here, it is easy to see that one cannot go wrong. But even if they are not of that caliber, be certain to have a qualified technician review and understand the background of the instrument you are considering, as well as the warrantees and guarantees either implicit or explicit with the purchase. After all, a Steinway Piano is not a small purchase for most, and should be done with utmost care. American-Steinway piano models

Now on returning to the issue of price, one will find there is a large difference in price between purchasing a brand new Steinway Model B, for example, and a restored Steinway Model B from one of the most reputable of dealers. At the time of this writing the new Steinway B lists for approximately US $68,000 from most Galleries, but a restored Steinway B, of equal quality and guarantee, can be as low as $45,000 or even less! (Check out http://american-steinway.com/steinway-b-1917-ebony/ or http://american-steinway.com/steinway-b-1897-ebony/ ) On the largest of the grand pianos, the Steinway Model D pianos, the difference between the rebuilt and new piano is often $40,000 or more. The latest Steinway D that we listed (http://american-steinway.com/steinway-d-1929-ebony) is $79,000 as opposed to a new Steinway Model D piano that lists for approximately $120,000. Every Steinway Model D listed is around this price, and everyone of them has been restored to the original sound, color, beauty and touch of the latest Steinway piano off the factory floor. Of course the price differences are not just there for the Model B Steinway Pianos either. In every grand piano model, one will find a significant savings.

But the savings don’t just stop there. Many older pianos have a tone and feel that is more even and perfected with time. It may seem strange to some, but that is because of they think of buying a piano like buying a car. A piano is not like a car, in that it depreciates with age, but rather, it appreciates and can improve with age, and like a violin or other string instrument, the wood can deepen in tone and depth over time, and create a truly luscious sound that is timeless.

One final note on price. Steinway and Sons will tell you that there pianos will appreciate over time. This is true. But the appreciation occurs not just piano of the “antique” value of the instrument. It is also because the instruments produced by Steinway are becoming more expensive with each passing year. This alone creates a wonderful opportunity for both the buyer and seller of a rebuilt piano to enjoy the benefits of not purchasing new.

So in the end, the solution is simple–there really is no question of “new” or not “new”. Be certain to consider reputable sources, such as www.pianomart.com, www.american-steinway.com, and other well-known dealers to eliminate the chance of being caught with a broken string. Your rebuilt piano is waiting for you. Do not let the idea of “new” fool you into getting less piano for more–get an ageless Steinway piano for less!

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American-Steinway piano

Everyone knows that there are significant costs and risks in purchasing a used Steinway Piano, but not everyone knows how to approach these risks. This short article is designed to help the novice along the way.

First, determine what you need before you begin to investigate. Countless hours can be saved by first knowing clearly how large, what style, what age, what price range you need before you start browsing. After all, why look at Steinway B pianos if they are above your price range, or too large for the room you will be placing it in? Or if your house if modern in appearance, perhaps the Victorian, ice-cream leg style would be seriously out of place compared to a sleek, semi-gloss finish of a beautiful ebony.

Second, understand who you will be purchasing from. A dealer or Steinway Gallery may have a few pianos to look at, but your selection will be limiting and the price you pay for their knowledge will be quite high. An online catalog, such as that found in Piano Mart (www.pianomart.com) or American-Steinway.com (www.american-steinway.com) will offer a much greater range of pianos for one to consider, and the knowledge and the reputation of the owners in the piano business gives them as much creditability as any Steinway Gallery. Steinway Models

Third, use a qualified piano technician to ask the difficult questions if you are uncertain. Qualified means not just knowledgeable of how a piano works, but also very knowledgeable of the Steinway history, action changes over the years, design changes, style changes, so he or she can help you understand not only the work that has been performed and the probably future work that may need to be performed, but also the point of history where this Steinway piano falls into. This will also help determine the value for your investment, and help you determine if you are getting the most “bang” for your buck. You may need one technician for the piano itself, and one “historian” on Steinway Pianos to help you understand your piano’s place in history.

Fourth, play the piano, or find an artist to help you play on the piano. Ultimately, a piano is not just an investment, but also an instrument. A piano needs to sound its value, and only through years of proper care and repair can a Steinway piano still sound and feel like a Steinway piano. The piano has many moving parts, and strings (of course) that wear and need replacement. There are details such as what kind of strings were used when they were replaced, what kind of bushings, action parts, etc. were used, that will determine if the piano is still “as good as new” like a Steinway should be, or were corners cut in order to make this Steinway just be a Steinway “in name” but not necessarily true to the Steinway standards. Of course the technician that worked on the Steinway having been trained by a master craftsman does help, but the ultimate guide will still be in the sound and the feel.

Fifth, don’t let the “voicing” of the piano fool you. Any piano can be voiced to sound duller or brighter on temporary bases, and many rebuilt pianos have yet to be voiced, so they are quite uneven. The voicing is usually the last step before a piano is truly concert ready, and most pianos are not voiced when you purchase them. So don’t let this factor be considered too important in your investment.

Finally, consider who you are purchasing from. Know that you will pay more from a “Steinway Dealer” than a non Steinway dealer by the inherent nature that the name has some value. But many non-Steinway dealers are equally or even more qualified because of their years of experience in this field. For myself, after 35 years of working with Steinway pianos, and even selling rebuilt pianos back to Steinway pianos, I know hundreds of dealers that can and cannot help you in your purchase. Feel free to contact me through our www.american-steinway.com and I will do everything I can to lead you in the best possible direction.
used Steinway piano

Happy Steinway Shopping!

When faced with the daunting task of purchasing a new piano, there are many criteria which need to be considered. In my other article, I discussed the basic requirements behind a piano purchase itself. In this article, the main focus will be on why a rebuilt used Steinway Piano might be a better option than a brand new Piano.

First, let’s look at what you get when you purchase not a piano, but a new car, because more people are more familiar with this. You get all of the newest gadgets, the best technology, the best warranty (usually), and the prestige as an owner of new car. All of these items make the fact that when purchasing a new car, when you drive off the dealer parking lot, you just lost 30% of the value of the car. So what have dealers done that sell older cars? Many of them update some elements of the car to the newer technologies, if possible, but usually the gadgets are about the same as they were in when the car was originally manufactured. Some dealers fix up the exterior, the interior, overhaul the engine, etc., to put the car in the most sound shape, and then they give a beautiful 100,000 mile warranty on the car–as good as new. But best of all, when driving away with a pre-owned car, the owner realizes that although he doesn’t have the “prestige” of a brand new car owner, he can have the “prestige” of a like-new car, and the knowledge that he just saved 30%^over the purchase of a brand new car.

With pianos it is similar, but even better. First, the new piano may have newer technology, but most likely not, because the technology in the piano from about 1935 until the present has been very consistently the same, with the exception of some experimental technology in the 1960s by Steinway, which they later removed. And the parts that are not the same, can be updated to the newest of technologies with little work. For example, the strings and agraffes (the bridges) can be the newest of technologies. The Teflon of the 1960s can be removed if desired. The bushings and felts can all be updated. And most importantly, the soundboard can be updated or replaced to be brand new so as to have the effect equivalent to a brand-new piano. In fact, other than the casing and the frame, almost every part of a piano can be restored and renewed to save the original piano’s value, but update it to be just as modern a brand-new piano.

American-Steinway piano models

And here is where it gets better: The warranty offered at this point can be equivalent to a brand new piano, the value of the rebuilt piano is often much higher than the value of a new piano, and best of all, the sound and touch may be superior to a brand new piano. The sound in particular may be better because the aging and other factors in the original wood casing and framing. The touch because when rebuilding, the best of technicians often spend more time than the factory because every element of every key must be reviewed and looked at to bring it to the optimal touch.

Not just the value, but the price is much better than a new piano because you are purchasing a piano that was originally manufactured in historically lower dollars, plus the rebuilding cost, which is often 30% less than the cost of a brand new piano. For example, our Steinway Model D pianos are listed between $65000 and $79000. These are approximately 30% less than brand new Steinway D pianos, but their appearance, sound, quality, warranty, value is as good as if not better than a brand new Steinway D from a Steinway Dealer or the factory. This is because of the care and workmanship of the craftsman involved.

There are one condition where the rebuilding of piano is not worthwhile: when the craftsman does not have the rebuilding skills or qualifications. Unfortunately, this does happen, so some of the rebuilt Steinway pianos might look like a Steinway, but they do not sound or feel like a Steinway. That is a shame because then the value of the piano is equivalent to a car with gadgets that don’t work or seats that are ripped, but you are still paying for it as if it is brand new. Make sure the craftsman has the qualifications and understanding of the work required. The sound and touch are more important in determining the quality of the rebuild over the general appearance of the piano because although refinishing the wood is difficult, the skills involved in replacing a soundboard, ribs, updating the action, etc. are even more difficult.

And finally, don’t waste your time on other brands of rebuilt pianos. Only the Steinway piano maintains an appreciating value over time. All other brands have depreciating value, so the rebuild just doesn’t make sense. It is like throwing money at a car that won’t be worth much in a few years. Why not choose a car that has “prestige” that outlast and has intrinsic value, like a Steinway, the only piano that holds and appreciates consistently over time. We invite you to review our collection of rebuilt used Steinway Pianos restored by some of the world’s best Steinway trained craftsman at www.American-Steinway.com.

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Planning to get a website designed or re-designed? Professional help from an experienced web design firm can definitely bring positive outcomes. In order to build professionally proficient websites, specialized skills are essential. Professional design services provide greater flexibility to an online business.

If compared to websites, other Medias like newspapers, television, radio, magazines, even a physical store front has limited exposure to the target audience and has geographical limitations also. If you desire to expand your client reach from local to international market, websites can be very helpful in reaching to millions of people worldwide. Lack of a professionally designed website might be keeping you away from gaining the prospective customer base and ROI (Return on Investment).

One might wonder how hiring a Web Design Company helps you and your business. This can be clearly understood by the series of quality web design services as follows:
- A web design company employs expert and skilled web designers who posses technical expertise in website designing. These designers here keep themselves equipped with the latest technical know-how in order to stay ahead of competition from other web design companies.

- A website is should be designed well keeping in mind all the White Hat SEO (Search Engine Optimization) techniques which provides greater chances of scoring high in all major search engine results as such websites have better chances of getting indexed in search engines, leading to a better traffic to the website.

- A good web designer keeps in mind that the Web page layout should not be cluttered by keeping navigation links scattered all over the page. It has to be well organized and has to have a specific location for all these links.

- After website designers’ work is over, web developers then see for any mistakes that are present and work on that. The developers do the important task of hosting and coding which enlivens a website.

- Moreover, Web development is a very time consuming process. Devoting large amounts of time on it might prove to be a hurdle for smooth functioning of smaller organizations. Therefore, hiring a web design company would save time and resources for in-house software development.

After going through over 25,000 messages, I’ve come to realize that one of the biggest financial problems faced by guests of vacation rentals happens either upon entrance or exit. Here’s how to solve that problem and save tons of money in the process. If you are brand new to holiday villas or a seasoned traveler, this article will help you understand how to “document” the property in what I call the “Vacation Rental Damage Report” when you arrived and how it was when you left.

It’s a short procedure, about five minutes on both sides (entrance and exit,) that could save you hundreds and, depending upon your deposit amount, thousands of dollars. This article is intended for the dual purpose of helping both the renter and the owner. By dealing with legit parties on both sides of the transaction the overall costs are driven only by market factors and not by scammers. Stuff happens in a rental property, kids get rambunctious and go through a screen door for example or someone pokes a hole in the ceiling with a pool cue. If you are the renter and you break something, just tell let the vacation rental property group know, and pay for it, don’t try to slip something by hoping it won’t get seen. We all know that “stuff happens” all of the time. Furthermore most of these things can almost immediately be cleared up through open and honest communication. However, in this case, it’s not only communication that will help you, rather, it’s communication and a video tape.

Typically, the revelation of the misunderstandings happen after you have checked out of the vacation rental property. What happens is someone from the property group comes in to the property you just vacated and finds something damaged or broken. Here’s what to do to document the property so if and when you get the notification of breakage or damage, and you didn’t do it, you’ve got more than just your “word” to verify. Before you do these steps please manage your own expectations. Understand reasonable wear and tear on a vacation rental. Don’t go overboard but do notate obvious scratches on a wall or floor… “keep it real” and reasonable. Don’t be a jerk, but also, don’t be a patsy. Here’s your procedure: Get a video tape that you dedicate to the vacation rental property. Begin video-taping as you hit the driveway. Video the façade and the landscape. Leave your luggage in the vehicle. As you enter the property begin video-documenting the property.

If it’s possible, have everyone in your party enter at the same time. Then go, room-by-room, and video-document the property. Key points: make sure the toilets flush, the water runs hot, the stove, grill, all electrical devices and appliances, and spa all work properly. Make sure the refrigerator is cold. If there is an A/C controller in the house that shows the temperature, video tape it. A key point is to video-document the ceilings of each room. Why? Leaks! If the vacation rental is a single family property, walk outside with the camera rolling. That’s it for the entrance procedure. Here is the exit procedure: Follow the house book or house guide and do what they tell you to do. Then video tape everything exactly like to did upon entrance. Go through the same exact steps, make sure you cover everything. If you do or do not find something that is damaged or broken upon entry, call the property group representative and let them know either way. Video-documenting the vacation rentals is a quick process. But we need to understand not only what to do before we go on vacation, but what to do while we are on vacation and, just as important, is what to do after our vacation.

Used steinway pianos?

Terms

There are many criteria that are involved in any purchase of a piano, particularly a Steinway grand piano, and for each individual some criteria will be take priority. Below are some of the most important criteria that need to be evaluated. This article will guide you to select a Steinway Grand Piano or a used piano.

American Steinway Grand Piano

The first criteria are the size of the room that the piano is going to go into. If the room isn’t large enough for the piano plus at least three times the size of the piano for a small audience, then the piano might be too large for this room. One exception to this would be for a practice room. In this case, a grand piano is still the better choice, if possible because the action and sound of the piano is different than in an upright piano, and gives the player a much more realistic feel for when the pianist plays on most other pianos outside of that room. The Steinway grand pianos range in size from as small as 5′ 1″ to the concert grand at just short of 9 feet, so there should be no problem finding the best size piano.

- The second criteria, often overlooked, are the color and finish of the piano. Of course for concert venues, ebony black is the piano color of choice, but many pianos in homes look better with other types of woods and finishes. For the wood types other than black ebony, there is a huge range: mahogany (figured, flamed, fiddle-back and simple-grained), walnut (burled, circassion, American and French), cherry, oak, and ivory (white, cream, gold-leaf), and rosewood (Brazilian and Indonesian). The finish of these Steinway grand pianos range from satin to satin luster, glossy to high polish. The glossy finish tends to be more “showy” and therefore more appropriate for certain types of rooms. Choosing the correct finish for the room can greatly add to the décor.

Steinway Grand Piano

The third criteria are the style of the piano you desire. Most people are used to only thinking of a traditional black ebony piano, and never stop to look at all of the variety of pianos available. Steinway pianos have a huge range of styles over the years other than traditional, including Rococo, Victorian, Louis XV, Queen Anne, and of course, many custom designs. The pianos range from the very old (around 1857) to the present day. Most of these “styled” pianos are sought after by artists as well as collectors so they are quite valuable.

Steinway pianos have a huge range of styles

The fourth criteria are the age of the piano you need. Most people do not consider the older pianos, greatly overlooking the value, savings and more importantly, the sound and feel of these older Steinway pianos. First, the new pianos are quite expensive compared to the older pianos, but more than that, many of the older pianos have a sound and action that has been restored to play and sound better than some of the newer pianos. This is because the casing of the piano has “aged” and never loses its original quality of sound. A genuine rebuilt Steinway Piano can feel and sound as good as if not better than the newest pianos being produced today, and so their value is unparalleled. Not only is one purchasing a Steinway piano that is appreciating in value, but also, an instrument that has a beautiful sound and touch.

What is the cost of used Steinway piano?

finally, the cost of the piano must be a criterion. Sometimes in the interest of saving money, some piano buyers leave the Steinway Piano behind only to purchase an instrument that is inferior in quality and name, and more importantly depreciating in value. As an investment, this does not make sense. Anyone can save money today at the price of tomorrow, but the wise person will stretch to make the soundest investment by choosing a Steinway Piano that sounds, looks, feels the best, and finally and very importantly, maintains its value over many years.

Most of us use a PC these days, but how many of us are really serious about securing it ? Well, not most of us! They just need to get their job done sitting on the PC and hence look no further. But they do find themselves in great trouble when the PC crashes, files are corrupted, login information are stolen or attacked by viruses and malwares. Now, we know that “prevention is better than cure” and “self help is the best help”. So according to the lines of these famous proverbs, I will try to highlight some tips through which a newbie user would be able to secure his PC. This article even applies to advanced and experienced users alike. So read on and help yourself to ward off your PC security woes.

1. Use an Antivirus

In the era of high-speed Internet and portable media, you just cannot afford to compromise your PC and valuable data. So, Antivirus software is a must for each and every PC user. The Antivirus stays active in the system memory and monitors your file transfers, network/Internet connections, and programs for suspicious activities and keeps away harmful computer viruses, worms and trojans from playing devil on your PC. It can even clean, heal or quarantine affected files already on your PC and keeps your data safe.
There are many AntiVirus Packages available, out of which many are free to use.
Some of the free packages are:
a. AVG Free Edition: http://www.free.grisoft.com
b. Avast! Home Edition: http://www.avast.com
c. Antivir Personal Edition: http://www.free-av.com

2. Use a Firewall

To protect your PC with network/internet connection from the prying eyes of hackers and abusers, it’s a necessity to install a Firewall software. A firewall is simply a piece of software that sits between your PC and the outside world (network/www) and allows certain programs/data to pass through it, thus filtering the traffic based on configured rules.
Like Antivirus softwares, the list of firewall softwares is also long…and there are a number of free options available.
Some of the free packages are :
a. ZoneAlarm Free : http://www.zonelabs.com
b. Kerio Personal : http://www.kerio.com
c. Outpost Free : http://www.agnitum.com
d. Sygate Personal : http://www.sygate.com

3. Use an AntiSpyware/Adware

Every passing day gives birth to a score of new malware, which is any sort of program written solely to get itself installed on the victim’s PC without his knowledge, monitor his activities/logins and send them to a hacker for identity theft. Similarly there are adwares which deliver unwanted advertisements and spoofs/redirects browser addresses. Thus, you never know that the form which you have filled 10 minutes ago is not from the original site ! To protect your PC against these nasty pests, you need an Anti-Spyware/Adware package.
Some of the free packages are :
a. Spybot S&D : http://www.safer-networking.org
b. Adaware : http://www.lavasoft.com
c. MS Antispyware : http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx

4. Backup Often

It is really important to backup your valuable data often so that you can get a copy at hand when there is a system crash, virus attack or hacking. Just keep only the important files and folders as backup and not your whole disk! A habit of backing up never upsets you in the long run. It is a good idea to backup your data on a different hard-disk or removable, cheap media like CD, DVD, and Pen-drives to name a few. There are many free and paid softwares to choose from.

5. Follow Some Good Habits

• Do not ever give out your password/login information to anyone.
• Don’t give out your credit card number or any online banking login to anyone.
• Use a strong password which is difficult to guess; containing alphabets, numbers and special characters.
• Password protect or encrypt confidential, valuable information to avoid being abused by someone.
• Always set a password for your Operating System/BIOS logon.
• Don’t open suspicious email attachments or knowingly send someone an infected file.
• Do not mount a known virus affected media to a PC without Antivirus protection.
• Don’t reply to emails asking for confidential login information even if they seem to come from the company or website. It might be a phishing attempt.
• Do not reply to spam messages or scam emails like “You have won $10million lottery sum!”. If you reply to spam emails, the spammers become aware of your activity and spam you even more. Just ignore them and keep the spam filter on.
• Don’t post your email id all over the internet (e.g.-forums)…spam bots might be harvesting them. Use myid[at]provider.com format.

To conclude, I would like to say that the steps that have been outlined above are not too difficult or time consuming to follow. You would certainly benefit by using those precautions and measures to secure your computer. Remember, if you secure your own PC, you not only help yourself, but many other users too. So spread the word and start acting now…Good Luck!