Guidelines comments

[Wimblees@aol.com]

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
In a message dated 6/9/03 6:02:10 PM Central Daylight Time, fssturm@unm.edu 
writes:

> That said, one useful approach is making the argument that replacing parts 
> and rebuilding is less expensive than springing for a new piano. I suppose 
> it might be possible to come up with some kind of quantitative formula 
> along these lines. Do you have any notions in this regard? Cost of new 
> pinblock, soundboard, action replacement versus brand new instrument, for 
> example, extended over time. That more or less assumes rebuilding is done 
> in-house, though.
> 

I'm wondering if we, as a committee, can come up with some general guidelines 
that gives more definitive information to the bean counters that will give 
them a better idea as to how long a piano will last if it is used x number of 
hours per year, and how often it needs to be reconditioned, or rebuilt.  

In other words, we have identified that pianos get light to heavy usage. We 
have also identified a standard of maintenance. All of this, along with the 
other workload formulas, gives us an idea of how many piano techs are needed to 
maintain the instruments. 

Now, we need to figure out how we can use this information by showing that a 
grand piano, set in above average climate condition, used heavily 8 hours a 
day, that needs to be kept in near top performance, needs to have a new set of 
hammers, shanks and flanges every (5 - 10) years, needs to be restrung every 
(15 - 20) years, a new pin block after 2 restringing, but needs to be replaced 
after that. If we can show that if the above maintenance is not done, the piano 
needs to be replaced in 30 years, instead of 50 or 60, perhaps the bean 
counters can see the financial advantage of having a qualified tech on staff.  

Is this worth investigating, or adding to the formula? Is this information 
useful and/or helpful in convincing department chairs and deans it is 
financially prudent to invest in proper maintenance?

Wim

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/caut.php/attachments/7e/73/cd/95/attachment.htm

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--