Basically, pianos are broken down into five tiers.
Many of the highest end (tier 1 & 2) pianos are now represented in the Raleigh market:
These brands include:
Mason & Hamlin, Fazioli, Bosendorfer, and Steinway (with C. Bechstein soon to arrive)
Tier 3 & 4 include:
Yamaha, Kawai, Baldwin, Schimmel, Estonia, Petrof, Schulze Pollman, Boston, and Pramberger
and then there are various tier 5 (mostly chinese) pianos.
Here is the point:
Typically, most of the Tier 1 and 2, and to some extent, tier 3, manufacturers only have dealers in select large cities. For Raleigh to be represented with so many brands, it goes a long way to suggest that we are becoming a mecca for culture and fine arts. What a great stepping stone for a truly diverse metropolitan area!
It also says something about the education and income levels of people living here. Some of these pianos can cost well over $100,000!! With the average price of the brands listed costing around $45,000! One has to make some pretty good money to purchase a piano that costs that much!
What do you think?
Edited by IBruton, 14 June 2005 - 01:46 PM.
