The Age old question! Kemble or Yamaha!

Barty · Post by **Barty** » 23 Jun 2008, 21:02

Hi

I wonder if anyone can help! I've spent quite a long time reading the posts on this forum which have been very informative but i am still in a quandary!
For £2300 i can get a brand new Kemble Oxford (from a local dealer) or potentially a 4million+ Yamaha U1 (from the internet!). This price is really £300 over what we wanted to spend, but don't know what to look for that's any good under £2000!
Unfortunately can't find hardly any higher spec used Kembles , is this because they are so good no one is selling them??!!

What to do??!!

Any thoughts?

mdw · Post by **mdw** » 23 Jun 2008, 21:26

If thats the correct price on the Kemble then you should assume no long term back up from the dealer.

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 23 Jun 2008, 21:48

mdw wrote:If thats the correct price on the Kemble then you should assume no long term back up from the dealer.

This is a bit of a price war going on with some retailers with Kemble but it will not last so I would get the Kemble before the price is back were it should be

Barrie,

Barty · Post by **Barty** » 23 Jun 2008, 22:17

That's interesting!
I was expecting you to advise me to go for a higher spec used yamaha rather than a new kemble basic model.
This is what his stock list says...

New RRP Our Price

Kemble Cambridge 12 New £3,099 £2,395.00
Kemble Oxford Mahogany Satin New £3,249 £2,399.00

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 23 Jun 2008, 22:42

The Kemble mahogany satin finish is as dull as ditchwater. An Oxford in their discontinued Georgian Mahogany Lustre would be a handsome piano.

Buy neither unless you've tried them first, and expect scant aftersales backup at that price.

mdw · Post by **mdw** » 23 Jun 2008, 22:52

I recon you could get him to drop further, if he is advertising at that price he is desperate and probably has the bank on his back to get rid of some stock!

I just hope Kembles have got their position covered. He is going to sell you the piano and guarantee it for 10 years for less money than it costs to do a minor service on an average car...................smacks of desperation to me. Pay for it on credit card to protect yourself.

mdw · Post by **mdw** » 23 Jun 2008, 22:53

[quote="Barrie HeatonThis is a bit of a price war going on with some retailers with Kemble but it will not last so I would get the Kemble before the price is back were it should be

Barrie,[/quote]

What is it then, they have mucked up the Yamaha market and now want to move on to something else to make a mess of!

Barty · Post by **Barty** » 23 Jun 2008, 23:02

Blimey!! Back to square one then!! I've been going round in circles for months!!
What should i buy then for 2000 pounds??!! I'm no judge at all, not a musical bone in my body i'm afraid!!
It's an absolute minefield!!

mdw · Post by **mdw** » 23 Jun 2008, 23:08

No , buy the Kemble. If the dealer is a idiot its not your fault. You are saving so much money that even if he does go bust you are quids in and you could probably hassle Kembles in to sorting major problems ( which I have never had on any we have sold).

Barty · Post by **Barty** » 23 Jun 2008, 23:14

The dealer seems genuine, i say this as he has been recommended by my daughters piano teacher and he's been going for years.

I wonder whether the 'new' Kembles could be 'unused' end of lines? Could that account for the major price reduction? Have Kemble released a new Oxford and Cambridge this year?

genaa · Post by **genaa** » 24 Jun 2008, 08:47

have a tuner / technician check either piano before purchase - if the Kemble is in good condition as far as the tech can see then it is probably a good bargain. At that price it seems a steal.

millie · Post by **millie** » 24 Jun 2008, 20:01

you wouldn't like to tell us who the dealer is, would you.....?

A440 · Post by **A440** » 26 Jun 2008, 23:01

An Oxford 12 is old stock, it's all Oxford contemporary nowadays!
They have finished making the 12s and now make the profile edge design. If it's a reputable dealer there should be no back-up issues, if they are a Kemble Center of Excellence you also get the 10 year guarrantee- you can locate your nearest center on the Kemble website.

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 26 Jun 2008, 23:05

Don't they make both?

Those contemporary designs are naff.

mdw · Post by **mdw** » 26 Jun 2008, 23:17

A440 wrote: If it's a reputable dealer there should be no back-up issues,.

I think the comment on the back up issue was based on the fact that the dealer is selling at cost therefore making no profit therefore quite likely to be not around when the back up is needed.

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 27 Jun 2008, 21:04

mdw wrote:
What is it then, they have mucked up the Yamaha market and now want to move on to something else to make a mess of!

One has now removed his prices and the other has put them back up C12 is now £2,686.00

So all is well with he world

Barrie,

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 28 Jun 2008, 08:47

Barty wrote:That's interesting!
I was expecting you to advise me to go for a higher spec used yamaha rather than a new kemble basic model.
This is what his stock list says...

The market is flooded with used Yamahas. Many of them are tired, especially the eBay ones......

markymark · Post by **markymark** » 28 Jun 2008, 14:04

Where I live, Kembles are practically unheard of. I think I have seen two in the twenty or so schools I have been in. Knights are more common in schools, but I don't know anyone who owns a Kemble. Our local dealers don't even touch them. Kawai and Yamaha dominate the market, with the odd Chappell or Bechstein slipping through here and there.

It's such a shame cos I really liked the sound of the reviews not to mention the appearance of the K121CL and the Conservatoire (online!)when I was looking for a new upright a year or so ago, but when it came to the most important part - playing the thing - neither of them could be found anywhere! I wasn't going to do the stupid thing and buy an acoustic, "blind" online so Yamaha were available, and that's who snagged the sale! You'd wonder why it seems at the very least, Kemble's marketing across the UK is so sporadic and, well, unbalanced...

mdw · Post by **mdw** » 28 Jun 2008, 14:52

Its all Knights in schools as they were pretty much what schools got up until they stopped making them a few years back. If its a new Chappell or Brindsmead then its a Kemble with a different badge on it. I know what you mean re not being able to see pianos, around here you cant try a Yam for about 40 miles as no dealer will stock them.