Just wanted to relate a recent experience with piano moving by Keyboard
Carriage.  I am in the Florida Panhandle, the piano (a Chickering 1847
square grand purchased on eBay) was in Oakland California.  The seller
was a local piano mover in the Oakland vicinity and he recommended
Keyboard Carriage for a cross-country move.  I checked the MMD Archives
and found only positive experiences with them.

The seller did say that it typically took 4- 6 weeks to complete a move
from original contact with them to delivery, and this ended up being
about correct.  The price of the move was $700, which I thought was
very reasonable for the distance.  The piano arrived in a lift gate
truck, on a skid, and was well crated.  The driver was experienced and,
although he arrived by himself, we had no trouble getting it into my
antique mall.  He was adamant about using the proper way of "flipping"
the piano up and screwing on the legs to avoid damage.

All in all a good experience and I would not hesitate to use them
again.  Their number is 270-737-5797 (MMD Archives may show their
old number).

Fred Wilharm
Florida Antique Mall

 [ Normally this firm moves only between dealers, so one should arrange
 [ beforehand for dealers to assist at both ends of the move.  Possibly
 [ this is simply because the trucker wants experienced help available
 [ to load and unload the piano, so he doesn't have to hire a helper
 [ himself, or maybe he doesn't want to do the take-down and set-up
 [ work in the home.  It sounds like Keyboard Carriage is really a
 [ one-man specialty business.  Can anyone confirm this?  -- Robbie