Welcome to the latest news update!
I have just returned to the office after spending the morning tuning pianos at a local independent school, a chance to write an overdue update! The sun is shining, coffee is good and I have time to give some thought to life at Ben Wheeler Pianos since the last news update. Reading the February update things were obviously really busy, I’m pleased to report that it has continued in the same vain and we have been non stop all year, long may it continue! It has been a fabulous 2016 so far for the business and we are loving it.
The Kawai K500 upright has probably been our most popular choice of piano since my last writing. A recent purchaser, who had to wait for the replacement model to arrive with us, asked why we have been so busy this year. I have given this much thought and can’t really put it down to one thing but a combination of things. Many of our customers are referred to us and this referral network has steadily increased as more people have visited us and liked what we have and the service that we offer. Our stock of pianos has grown over the years which I think also filters through the networks of customers, we currently have fifteen very good quality grand pianos on our showroom floor! A recent visitor from Winchester kindly complimented me on the quality and variety of our collection of grand pianos which, if I think about it, is rather impressive. It has taken me many years of reinvestment to present such a collection of pianos and I am delighted with what we have on display. Choice of pianos is another obvious reason why we have been so busy. In Kawai and Grotrian-Steinweg we are offering two extensive piano ranges that, in my opinion, cannot be bettered by anything else in the market at a similar price. Our restored pianos are extensively restored to the highest standard and used pianos selected very carefully. Finally, I think our web site is now an excellent representation of who we are and what we do. As such, we tend to be well suited to visitors and them to us! We will keep selecting our pianos carefully, ensure the quality of our service remains high and enjoy welcoming new visitors to our showroom. Hopefully, if we keep doing all of these things the current level of activity will continue throughout the year.
A couple of very special deliveries in the last few weeks were a restored 1990’s Grotrian-Steinweg and a restored Bosendorfer, both were very special purchases. The Bosendorfer was selected back in 2014 and was a prefect match for the advanced amateur pianist. It was such a perfect match that we agreed it was to be her piano despite not having a house to put it in! Finally, after many housing market hiccups the piano was delivered to the new home in Reading last week, what a special piano it is too. It seems slightly empty in the showroom without it but a restored 200cm Bosendorfer model is soon to arrive to fill the space. The Grotrian-Steinweg was also very special, I purchased it from a storage container where is had lived for ten years. After restoration it was beautiful and was chosen by a local piano teacher with a queue of interested people if she changed her mind. Such a special piano and a wonderfully deserving home for it to go to. I have recently purchased a 1970’s 185cm Grotrian-Steinweg from auction, very exciting as this is my very first auction purchase! The piano will now be restored and will make an excellent replacement for the one that has just left.
Life on the road is as enjoyable as ever. We all remain very busy keeping up with the tuning schedules and what a great life it is. This week we are predominantly preparing school pianos ready for the start of term, school pianos typically take quite a hammering and heating conditions are often very variable so this is a busy week. As we ease into spring and our home heating systems are given a rest, the soundboards of pianos will typically absorb moisture and have the effect of sharpening the pitch of the instruments. The many hydroceel units that we fit can be left dry until the autumn when they can once again be used to keep the moisture level up in and around our pianos. Our glorious seasons give us these wonderfully changing conditions that ensure we are kept busy tuning all year round.! It is also a great time of year to be driving around the countryside visiting customers and the view around Ash Park in the sunshine is wonderful.
As ever, a warm welcome will await visitors to the showroom.
All the best.
Ben
