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As a week went by with no bookings and again no replies on how the booking went, I went to an online piano forum to write a negative review. Imagine you were told the piano would come during December, and the owner disappeared for a month, leaving you wondering what has happened? (all the neglects are well documented on my side) At last, after a whole year, finally we received the delivery of piano, but it required a technician to fix minor problems. It was a truly scary experience.For example, just last month, when the piano was supposed to be delivered, I texted Rich twice asking politely where the piano was, only to no replies. After the apologies, Rich would disappear again.So during the entire year, whenever I thought about the piano, I couldn't help but feel the piano has sunk into a black hole with the restoration fees. Rich would disappear for weeks, then finally picked up the phone, apologized, and told me the schedule was delayed for another time. During which owner Rich Galassini would not return calls/texts/emails for about 10 times. The process took about a year and around $20,000. I recently received my restored Steinway B from Cunningham Piano. They apologized here but managed to take down my review, so here it goes again - PS: the technician found out the back was damaged during moving, so it is still getting resolved. While Cunningham is not local in the area I live they are a local business in their New Jersey and Pennsylvania stores. Yet, I chose to purchase from Cunningham Piano because I felt understood and appreciated as a customer.A local piano-broker friend told me Cunningham Piano has been around a while and they have an excellent reputation.
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I asked if they could meet it and they pretty much did. The salesman was not a pianist, he was a drummer, and he was not personable or knowledgeable.Hugh quoted me a better price than our local piano store.
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I always try to buy local so when I considered purchasing a new piano, I went to our local independent piano store. He continues to be immediately responsive to any questions or requests.I reside in the mountains of Western North Carolina. His response: "By having a quality instrument you will reach YOUR greatest potential." SOLD.Hugh was and continues to be personable, knowledgeable and accommodating. While I wanted an acoustic piano I mentioned to Hugh that I don't know if I deserve a piano of this quality given where I am in my piano studies. I began studying piano four years ago at the age of 70. Hugh Sung of Cunningham Piano made my recent purchase of an acoustic Yamaha piano an experience of pure joy. Because a well cared for grand piano can serve a lifetime (or more) this piano is a wonderful value. It was fully rebuilt 15 years ago and the original customer has now traded this piano back to us. This Mason & Hamlin BB was originally built in 1930. In my opinion, the Mason & Hamlin is a real work of art.” It is not short of being a small orchestra. He commented, “While preserving all the qualities of the percussion instrument, the Mason & Hamlin piano also serves magnificently the composer’s concept by its extensive range in dynamics, as well as quality of tone. When Maurice Ravel toured the United States for the very first time, he found the Mason & Hamlin piano and used it on his tour. The “American tone” is shared by some of the great names in domestic vintage pianos here in the USA and is characterized by a warm powerful sound that is rich and colorful, but also capable of the smallest pianissimo. We’ve shown it below.A vintage Mason & Hamlin BB embodies the idea of the “American tone” in a grand piano. In fact, the Discovery Channel filmed an entire segment on Mason’s factory process for “How Its Made”. Not every piano builder considers the precision of an instrument to be critical to the essence or ‘soul’ of its pianos, but at Mason, on every single floor of their 6-story factory building, you can observe the commitment to perfection. Very few woodworking companies in the world can claim a factory tolerance of 0.004″, as Mason can, and it’s baked right in to the company’s philosophy. Mason & Hamlin has elevated the art of piano building to a new standard of precision.