Yamaha keytops

[Joseph Alkana]

At 11:02 PM 8/27/96 -0700, you wrote:
>Dear list:
>
>So far I don't recall anyone trying to look at this keyboard changing
>situation from Yamaha's perspective.  I believe that if I were a manu-
>facturer, and out of the goodness of my heart I elected to change out a
>keyboard for one of MY customers, I would choose to send someone that I
>personally knew to be well skilled in the job even though it may cost
>me more money.  It beats taking a chance on someone I do not know and
>later possibly having to redo or send someone to complete the job to
>our factory specifications.
>
>It may be true that Joe A. is quite capable of doing the job, but if I
>don't know it, I can't take the chance.  It may be also that the customer
>was perfectly happy with the keys the way they were, and that the
>technician created a problem for the Company.  I know that Yamaha has been
>very gracious in being willing to change the keys, but I must say that in
>all these years since that version of keys have been out, I personally
>have never seen a set that I thought needed to be changed.
>
>Jim Coleman, Sr.
>
>
Jim Coleman, Jim Bryant and List,
 My intention originaly was simply to bring to light an incident that
happened to me as an "Ouch, Gee whiz, got burned " type of story to add
another  aspect to the Yamaha key replacement scenario. Actually, the
customer asked me first if I could clean the keys, or do SOMETHING with
them. Believe me, they were grossly yellowed and very dirty. I tried all
kinds of potions in an effort to rectify the situation. Then, I remembered
reading about this situaiton in Randy Potter's course. So that's how I got
into it, and no, I certainly don't claim to be an expert regulator--not then
or now--I do respect Jim Coleman's opinion, and since Yamaha was picking up
the tab they are more than justified in getting their money's worth from
qualified people in the field.
 The point that is being overlooked is that I was acting as the contractor-
in- fact in this situation. Yamaha had, I believe, an ethical responsibility
to deal with me through my customer. This, of course, they did not do. I was
not even given the courtesy of an interview as to the possibility that my
credentials might have been adequate, or whether or not I would consent to
allowing Yamaha's representative to do the work. Remember, the customer did
not contact Yamaha--I did. Actually, if I had been allowed my proper due ,
and I had given approval for someone else to do the work, then I would have
had a further responsibility to double check the work that was done to
protect my customer!

At this point all I can say is that it was a learning experience and that I
will be more careful of third party involvement with any of my dealings in
the future. Many thanks to all that responded to this thread, I really
learned a lot! Hopefully, I Too, can do future work for Yamaha as I hold no
grudges and really respect their efforts at preserving image and continually
striving for the betterment of the  Piano.

Joseph Alkana RPT