Hi All,  Mr. Kim Bunker here from http://www.playerpianos.com/
In June and July last year I received an email from a potential client
who showed a great deal of enthusiasm over two pianos I had listed on
my web site.  Many of you are aware of this because I related part of
this story at that time.

Anyway, this person lead me to believe he was genuinely interested in
purchasing both of these instruments and having them shipped to him in
Pennsylvania.  One of them was a Chickering art case Ampico reproducer,
100% restored, $28,900.00.

The other piano he wanted was a Wm. Knabe Louie Scallop case Ampico B
1930 with matching roll cabinet, 100% restored; $35,000.00 was our
price.  He made me an offer of $50,000.00. for both pianos.  My partner
and I conferred and decided to take this man's offer.  This man was
then to send a $25,000.00 cashiers check as 1/2 down payment and the
Chickering was to be delivered to him first after we received the check.

Meanwhile, business as always.  Other contracts came through and one of
them was the sale of a consignment, a build-up replica of a 105 band
organ which was sold out of the country.  When the funds came in for
the band organ plus the shipping costs to this other country, it was at
a time when business was slow.  These funds went to pay the landlord
and many other mounting bills.  These actions we took anticipating the
sale of the two pianos to the man in Pennsylvania and the check for
$25,000.00 but which never came!

After this happened, then business came to a stop!  No new contracts,
business simply dropped off to virtually nothing and we damn near lost
everything we had built up for so many years.  We simply trusted that
client as we have done for 30 years.  My whole life's ambitions were
nearly totally lost because of trusting someone who lead me to believe
in them and their travel agency.

Now for the repercussions:

1. Paid off the bills owed because of incoming $25,000.00
   This is where the domino effect begins.
2. Consignor to be paid $'s
3. Shipping agent to be paid $'s
4. No funds to pay consignor or shipping agent because of
   the check that never arrived.
5. My integrity: down for the count,
6. My company: almost bankrupt!
7. The purchaser doesn't receive the instrument yet!

However, one thing is I really did eventually sell both pianos to
real customers this year, and I am slowly recouping this _huge_ loss.
You see, when you're self-employed, as the funds come in from contract
to contract, it's a slow rebuilding of your finances and integrity.
In this industry it doesn't come overnight.  Only now, a year later,
am I beginning to recoup these losses from July of last year!

Eventually the person who purchased the band organ received it and
after he got it [he complained that] he was expecting a build-up
(replica) 105 to be exactly like an original, but at 1/3 the price
of a real one!

Here is the icing on the cake: He, the new owner of the build-up 105,
has made ovations to me, the consignee, for what he considers shoddy
workmanship and now has threatened me to tell everyone in MMD and so on
that I misrepresented the sale of this instrument.  I'm sorry I didn't
build it.  I consigned it to our gallery only because the trust I hold
for the builder who has built up many band organs.

I'll say this much: the man who did build the organ did a wonderful job;
I trust his judgment more than anything.  It sounded great when it left
here.  In the years of service I have learned that if you take on a
consignment that is to be sold somewhere other then my area, it better
be damn good if you want a good reputation.  This has always been my
one thought of importance.

I've only been a member on and off of MBSI and AMICA for 25 years but
since then I have I've become a friend of many such people as well as
major collectors and my trust will always be with them.

Being in the musical instrument business today is not the fun it was
30 years ago when you could trust just about everyone.  Through these
organizations, MMD, AMICA and MBSI, I am proud to be a member and the
trust we represent.

We have sold hundreds of mechanical musical instruments all over the
world and it seems we get complaints only when we sell them at a budget
price.  My track record in selling through the organizations has always
been great.  I guess now I need to eat some humble pie and realize you
can't win them all.

I tried every legal way to prove my case with the man in Pennsylvania
but with no avail.  The one most important thing I've learned throughout
the years is the truth always wins.

Sincerely yours,
Kim Bunker