What do you do with a pig in a poke?

August 17, 2009 4:46 PM

We were bequeathed a Steinway grand piano, and were initially excited but now are wondering if this is more of an albatross than a gift. What should we do?

I just finished school and have 20k in school loans. I'm getting by, but have no extra money to spend. I do have a beautiful climate-controlled place for a piano to live.

I also was just bequeathed a beautiful Steinway which turns out to need some emergency fixing. The piano techs say for $10.5k, they'll fix the emergency stuff and ship it to me. In its present condition, it is worth $12k. It will be worth $35k after it is repaired. If the repairs don't happen within 2-3 months, the piano will be worthless.

The family has told me it is my instrument- I'm responsible for repairs and shipping. But I also know that if I don't get it fixed (or, horror, if I sell it) I'll never hear the end of it from the family, for whom it is one of the most cherished family heirlooms. No one has room for it to stay with them in the area, and I'm at my wits end as to what to do.

Any suggestions?

posted by anonymous to human relations (37 comments total)

The family has told me it is my instrument- I'm responsible for repairs and shipping. But I also know that if I don't get it fixed (or, horror, if I sell it) I'll never hear the end of it from the family, for whom it is one of the most cherished family heirlooms.

Oh, bullshit. If they cherished it that much, they'd be willing to kick in the repair expense. They want the positive of the piano remaining in the family without the negative of paying for it, and that's not fair.

My suggestion would be, if you can't find a family member to take it or otherwise contribute so it stays in the family, to donate it to a school that wouldn't otherwise be able to afford such a nice piano.
posted by MegoSteve at 4:53 PM on August 17 [6 favorites has favorites]

I'm getting by, but have no extra money to spend.
Answered.

PS. Are you going to have an extra $10k+ debt for a musical instrument? Are you a professional musician? Are you sure of the exact cost of repairs? Do you have that extra cash or is it going to keep adding to your debt? Are you really sure you can sell it back for $35k (and it looks like you don't want to)? I would weight the cost of being so much in debt just to satisfy family pressure.
posted by ddaavviidd at 4:56 PM on August 17

Can you email a mod and tell us: do you play piano? Would you use it and get more joy from it than you would from a cheapo upright?

My dad plays, and was finally able to buy a baby grand when we kids were done with college - and he plays it every day, for hours. He's got perfect pitch, and having a really good piano (rather than a merely ok piano) is a life-changing difference for him.

If you are someone like that, where having a really good piano will be a major quality of life improvement, then I would say you should apply your ingenuity to figuring out how to keep the piano.

If the family has said it's yours and they won't contribute money to it, then I think you have to ignore their protestations about its fate. You are the person who decides what you can afford, and where your money should go.

How much of the 10.5K is for repair, and how much for shipping?
Could you get a second opinion on either of those parts of the price?
posted by LobsterMitten at 4:59 PM on August 17 [1 favorite has favorites]

Do they know the condition of the piano? The way you've formed the question it's hard to tell.

If they know about the condition then I think it's a rather shitty gift. If they don't know about the condition then maybe someone in the family will be willing to have it fixed.

I'm curious about your statement that the piano needs to be fixed now or it will be worthless. The wife (who knows more about this than I do) says this could actually be true to do the pressure from the strings or gravity messing up the wood. With that in mind I'd get a second person to look at it (if you doubt this at all) and see if this is the case or if these piano tech's wanted to make sure to have your business.

Disclaimer: I'm as a rule very skeptical about anything where the repair people who would be doing the repairs say that the repair needs to be done immediately. I might be entirely off base here, and if so please ignore my advice to get a second opinion.

Mostly though, I think MegoSteve has hit the nail on the head. If the family loves the piano so much someone will help with the repairs. I'll also add that if the family loves the piano so much they wouldn't have let it get in this condition in the first place.
posted by theichibun at 4:59 PM on August 17 [2 favorites has favorites]

Tell them the truth: you cannot afford the shipping and repair cost, and since it's such a lovely instrument, you do not want it to be ruined, so you intend to sell it as is. If, of course, it is an important heirloom to someone else, you would be happy to give it to them (if you would, sell it otherwise), or if they would like to cover the repair cost entirely, of course you'd be happy to have it, but you cannot afford even a penny towards repairs because you have such high loans. There are more or less subtle ways to say it, depending on how your family does things.

I am assuming that your career does not in any way involve music. If it does, the story might change some, depending on the details. I am also assuming that you do not really want this piano.
posted by jeather at 5:01 PM on August 17

Another possibility to look into: is there an organization near you that might be willing to work out a deal where they rent the piano from you for ten years, for the price of shipping, repair, and upkeep during that time? You might work the email and phones a little to local music schools, colleges, etc.
posted by LobsterMitten at 5:03 PM on August 17

If the repairs don't happen within 2-3 months, the piano will be worthless.

Sez who? You're keeping it in a good place, not a leaky barn, so I don't see why just stabilizing it won't work. What's going to make it worse, or irrepairable? Get a qualified piano tech to do what it takes to stabilize it and keep it from getting any worse, and tell your family you're accepting contributions toward the further restoration of the priceless family heirloom.
posted by beagle at 5:03 PM on August 17

Sez who? You're keeping it in a good place, not a leaky barn, so I don't see why just stabilizing it won't work. What's going to make it worse, or irrepairable? Get a qualified piano tech to do what it takes to stabilize it and keep it from getting any worse, and tell your family you're accepting contributions toward the further restoration of the priceless family heirloom.

I don't know anything about pianos, but at least with string instruments, it's possible to have repairs that need to be made immediately to preserve the instrument.

For instance, a unrepaired crack can easily extend, even if you're keeping it in perfect climate control.

But still, a second opinion is required.
posted by Netzapper at 5:10 PM on August 17

If you do want to keep the piano, you might ask on the forums of pianoworld.com about the 'immediate' repairs. The folks there are very helpful (lots of techs, lots of steinway specialists), and they might be able to help you determine if all of the repairs really have to be done, or if a less expensive subset could save the piano.
posted by snowymorninblues at 5:14 PM on August 17 [2 favorites has favorites]

LobsterMitten's idea is fabulous. I'd definitely recommend looking into that. It's even better than my idea, which was:

donating the piano to some musical organization that the previous owner loved or would have loved, perhaps with some kind of memorial plaque or lifetime-of-season-tickets provision. This would honor the family's contribution, and take care of your problem.

Alternately, you could loan instead of donating (or renting), with the understanding that they'd have to fix the piano -- I guess that's really the same as renting, but it sounds nicer. It's kind of a long shot, though, that a musical-organization-in-need would have that kind of repair money sitting around. Maybe wealthier members of your family would be willing to help contribute if it were a really great organization and/or memorial plaque.

Good luck.
posted by amtho at 5:31 PM on August 17

My first thought: take the donation suggestion made by megosteve and use it as negotiation leverage: tell your family that it either gets fixed or it ends up in a museum.
posted by paultopia at 5:32 PM on August 17

Nthing what has been said above: if the family is going to pressure you to keep a "family heirloom" that you cannot afford to repair before it is irrevocably damaged, then they also get to kick in some contributions. You might want to point out the downside of passing it off with "well, it's all yours, you deal with it"--if it's "all yours," then you get to decide the piano's fate.
posted by thomas j wise at 5:35 PM on August 17

Do you love the piano? Will you play it? If so, I would encourage you to find a way to make it work, whether that is take out an emergency loan, talk to a local church, whatever.

If not, offer to give it anyone else in the family who wants it in its present condition, which I am sure you have been candid about, with the understanding that they have to keep and repair it. No "Sure I'll take and sell your inheritance."

If no one wants it, sell it. It's yours, you gave them the chance and you could probably use the 12,000 for those student loans. Don't worry about your family, they can't bring up resentment for parting with it without coming off as irrational. (Though fair warning, it will be brought up more than once during future disagreements. Families are like that.)
posted by gagoumot at 5:35 PM on August 17

the downside of passing it off with "well, it's all yours, you deal with it"--if it's "all yours," then you get to decide the piano's fate.

This. Either it's a family heirloom, with the burden of expensive repairs you can't individually afford shared by the family members who care about it, or it's your possession to repair, ignore, sell, or donate as you see fit.
posted by Meg_Murry at 5:40 PM on August 17

My family has a pretty simple rule for selling family heirlooms. It's yours, you can do what you want, but members of the family get first right of refusal to buy it from you at market price. I think it's a good rule. I would tell your family you simply can't afford to spend that kind of money to repair a piano (and that's insane by the way!). If they want to keep it in the family they either need to pay for the repairs and take a half stake in the piano or buy it from you for its current market price.
posted by whoaali at 5:49 PM on August 17 [1 favorite has favorites]

Agreed with above; tell the family they have 48 hours to claim it for 10K, and tell the people who told you it's worth 12.5K that they can have it for 10K in 48 hours if they haul it off, and if they give you the money before they try to move it.
posted by davejay at 5:50 PM on August 17

follow-up from the OP

My Grandfather, who left the piano to me in his will, was a professional pianist. I am also a professional classical pianist. I love the action on this piano and have a lot of fond memories of playing it with my Grandfather. But I'm not really a 'thing' person- I think of my Grandpa every day, and will do so with or without the piano. I'd love to have the piano, but not if I have to increase my indebtedness by 50% to get it.

And as to its condition: it has received several estimates. All of the piano technicians and I agree that it will be worthless if it isn't fixed somewhere between now and three months from now. The cheapest estimate was the $10.5k one, the rest (from Steinway-certified technicians) have ranged up to 16k.

It may or may not be worth 12k now, or 35k after the repair, but I am certain about the necessity of the repairs.

posted by jessamyn at 5:52 PM on August 17

Who is the person who says it will be worth $35k fixed? Sell it to that person for $10k.
posted by sageleaf at 5:53 PM on August 17

So the estimate is $35k if there are $10.5k worth of repairs? And it is bequeathed to you? I assume you don't have to pay for anything besides shipping and repairs?

Forget the museum stuff, get your student loans paid off. I'm sure there must be a dealer who would be willing to buy it off you for a nice price, surely they can source the repairs better than you can (try pianoworld for this). Cut out the middle man of getting it shipped to you and see if you can ship it directly to a dealer.

Do your homework, source it out and see what you'd rather do. If you have no piano experience whatsoever and are totally going at this as, "What the hell do I do with a Steinway?" I think it'd be best to sell it outright rather than trying to get repairs and shop for a buyer. I would accept anything less than $27k if you're getting a $35k estimate.

Don't let your family manipulate you with money. This is classic manipulation. There's a high value item you have no use for, you need to spend money immediately or it is worth nothing and you're apparently now responsible for shipping and everything. If you accept this in ten years you'll be repairing Aunt Sally's porch because she says she'll leave the house to you and it is best to keep these things nice and repaired (oops junkie cousin appears and guess who gets the house in the will). Just because they are family does not mean they are doing something in your best interests, financial or otherwise. There intentions might be good, but would you accept this from a friend? If you no, pass go.
posted by geoff. at 5:54 PM on August 17 [1 favorite has favorites]

Oops I was assuming you didn't know anything about pianos. Yeah I'd be very surprised if the repair guy wouldn't offer you a price to take this off your hands. I'd advised against financing this simply because financing a broken Steinway will be expensive, I bet you'll have to put it on credit cards. The interest rate will eat away at any profit you'd make really quickly.
posted by geoff. at 6:01 PM on August 17

Was this piano in a fire or a flood? What are the emergency repairs?

I just called two piano techs and they both thought this sounded fishy.

I think you are being played.
posted by pianomover at 6:21 PM on August 17

Ten years from now, will you wish you still had that piano? If so, try to find a way to make it happen, like taking out a low-interest bank loan. If not, do as you wish- keep, sell, or donate. Either way, don't let your family give you a hard time about whatever you decide. If one or more of them has strong feelings about keeping it in the family, then they should offer to foot the bill.
posted by emd3737 at 6:26 PM on August 17 [1 favorite has favorites]

Sell it. It sounds like you could really use the money. Would your grandpa really be happy to see you saddled with years of debt because of a gift he gave you? I think not. He would be happy to see you happy. 10k is a lot of debt to pay off, great start for a house deposit, or the most awesome holiday ever.

As for your family, screw 'em. If grandpa wanted them to have the piano he would have given it to em. If he wanted it kept 'in the family' he should have stipulated as such.
posted by smoke at 6:27 PM on August 17

You don't have the money right now and in this economy you can't afford to take a chance on carrying that debt load indefinitely. You could sell it to a repair-tech and put the money towards your school depts. You'd be honouring you Grandpa's memory by making sure the piano was repaired in a timely manner. Easy for relatives to guilt you out but don't fall for it. They'd just want to know that if anything ever happens to you it'll "stay in the family" (ie.-eventually end up in the hands of one of their kids)
posted by bonobothegreat at 6:31 PM on August 17

I think you are getting two different numbers. Worth 12k now because you can sell it for that much, vs. 35k book value after repairs isn't the same value. Ask the person doing the repairs if he will buy it from you for 35k after the repairs are done. I'll bet He'll say no. Otherwise he'd just do it, and not tell you how he can profit.

Steinway grands are not rare, you can replace this piano rather easily. Steinway grand pianos are not rare.

Sorry about your grandfather, but this gift isn't one if it comes with conditions.
posted by bensherman at 6:40 PM on August 17

Nthing the whole "why the fuck do you have to repair it within 2-3 months?" I'm a pianist and I would trade my left nut for a free Steinway, in need of repair or not. A Steinway is an incredible thing to have, especially if its an heirloom. I'd take it and just repair it later - or get another bid. I find it hard to believe that it really needs 10.5K in repairs. I mean, the only way the repairs would cost that much is if it needed practically a whole new set of strings and hammers or if the actual body of the thing was all fucked up somehow.

Steinway pianos ARE rare...especially free ones. An 11 footer will cost you over 100k. I'm assuming this is a 6 footer, in which case you'll pay 40-70k for a new one. And sure it sounds crazy, but the old steinways tend to be the cherries.

Well, if you don't want it, you should mefi mail me and I'll take it. :)
posted by Lutoslawski at 6:58 PM on August 17

pianomover: "Was this piano in a fire or a flood? What are the emergency repairs?

I just called two piano techs and they both thought this sounded fishy.

I think you are being played."

Agreed. I have a lovely upright piano that has had a few broken strings for several years and it's no worse for wear, just needs some minor repairs and tuning. I don't understand what could possibly necessitate emergency repair that could wait up to 2-3 months but must be done within that timeframe.
posted by IndigoRain at 7:25 PM on August 17

I agree with many of the suggestions above regarding the piano - it's your piano now, so do what is best for you. Your family can't have their cake and eat it too.

If there's something so badly wrong with the piano that the repairs account for a significant portion of its (post-repair) value, why was there no provision in the estate? I'm in the 'albatross' camp, since giving someone a piano is all well and good but it's rather inconsiderate to ignore the logistics of moving such a behemoth.

Would storage be an option? You could store it for a fraction of the shipping cost and then retrieve it when you are in a better position.

Best of luck - I'm sure it is (or will be) a fantastic instrument!
posted by bookdragoness at 7:58 PM on August 17

I'd sell it but I'm not a sentimental person. Things are, mostly, a burden. And the "repair it now or it's useless" thing doesn't make any sense.

I suppose it could make sense if the piano is on fire or alive but I suspect those are not the case.
posted by chairface at 8:16 PM on August 17

I can only imagine a catastrophic failure that involves something cracking under pressure. Maybe you could have the strings loosened, then worry about bring it back to life later.
posted by StickyCarpet at 9:50 PM on August 17 [1 favorite has favorites]

Just a thought that might help a teeny bit..... if you're a professional, wouldn't the repairs and moving costs be tax deductable?
posted by taff at 11:16 PM on August 17

I'm pretty much the very last person to ever nudge anyone toward (further) debt, but I will mention that as you become older, the ownership (or loss) of this heirloom may come to mean much more to you, especially since you are a professional pianist yourself. It seems to me that you could probably pay off the debt for the piano repairs in something under two years by offering two one-hour piano lessons a week (depending on your area, etc.). As a professional pianist offering lessons on a Steinway I'm guessing that you would presumably stand out well among the competition asking for the higher level of fees for more advanced students.

Alternatively, might you make the repairs and then rent the piano out for two or three years, with the rental money paying off the repair loan?

Also, you may want to check for the nearest Steinway Society and ask if they have any sort of advice for your situation. Whether you choose to sell it or keep it, their counsel might be helpful.
posted by taz at 1:15 AM on August 18 [1 favorite has favorites]

From a purely financial perspective, you can't lose on this deal.

Accept the piano and sell it for $10,500. Profit $10,500.

Accept the piano and take out a short-term $12,000 loan to fix it, using the piano itself as collateral if you can and it's needed, and then sell it for $35,000. Profit $23,000 minus the interest on the short-term loan.

If you currently rent a piano, or rent time on a piano, accept the piano, and stop renting. After X years, you break even, and every year after that is a savings of that amount (less insurance and maintenance costs, and moving costs if you ever move).

So, really the problem is the ridiculous position your family has put you in. Perhaps, although it's a risky move, you could do something they don't expect: Refuse the piano, with an explanation of why you can't financially afford to accept it. If none of them have space for the piano, and it really is that important to them that it stays in the family, that turns the tables on them. They then have the following unattractive options:

Sell the piano.

Get it fixed then sell the piano.

Buy a home large enough to accommodate the piano, and then get it fixed.

With that new perspective, they might be willing to help move the piano to your home, and maybe help with repair expenses. Or, they may be willing to understand selling the piano.

The way this move could turn against you is that, if you refuse the piano it could go back to the estate. Then, the money from the piano would not be yours, or not 100% yours. I'm not sure if that matters to you.
posted by Houstonian at 6:25 AM on August 18

(I transposed the current value of the piano and the cost of repair -- oops. But still, refusing to play this game at all might change everyone's perspective, and certainly removes the burden from your shoulders.)
posted by Houstonian at 6:29 AM on August 18

Take out a loan. Fix the piano. Sell the piano. Pay off both of your loans. I'm sure it would make Grandpa happy to have helped you out
posted by Mr.Me at 9:14 AM on August 18

My Grandfather, who left the piano to me in his will, was a professional pianist. I am also a professional classical pianist. I love the action on this piano and have a lot of fond memories of playing it with my Grandfather. But I'm not really a 'thing' person- I think of my Grandpa every day, and will do so with or without the piano. I'd love to have the piano, but not if I have to increase my indebtedness by 50% to get it.

Sounds like you know what to do.

By all means, seek a creative solution that does not involve you increasing your debt. There are plenty of interesting ideas here. But don't go into (more) debt for this; it's not worth it.

It also sounds like it's pretty damaged; you might consider the possibility that it's worth less than they say right now, or that it is more damaged than it appears and unfixable. Or that it will be by the time that you come up with a solution.

You say yourself that this isn't a sentimental issue as much as a material one. So if you can't work something out, then let it go. Your family has no right to demand you take on over 10k in debt.
posted by RikiTikiTavi at 10:39 AM on August 18

I think we'd all like to hear exactly what they say is the problem. I'm guessing that some of the holes for the tuning pegs at the lowest strings have cracks or have otherwise become loose. The fear is that those pegs will pop out, making the cracks bigger. As suggested above, you might be able to remove just those lowest strings for now.
posted by StickyCarpet at 2:33 PM on August 18