rebuild or replace?

[Joel Rappaport]

My mail server hiccuped, I think, and lost this message that I sent last
Thursday.  My apologies if it finally appears and this is a duplicate.
----Joel

Gordon,
In my institutional experience, I found great resistance to rebuilding.
So many professors and administrators were familiar with taking the
lowest bid and getting really junky "rebuilding" work.

First, it is important to write up specifications when sending out for
bids that represent quality parts and quality work.  Even a stipulation
dealing with rebuilding experience can be included.  Just because
someone once put a set of keytops onto a <insert your favorite cheap
grand here> piano does not qualify him/her to rebuild a Steinway L.

Secondly, you will need to spend some time writing up the
specifications.  If you are on staff, that is no problem.  If, however,
you are on contract, paid by the tuning or repair, you should be paid
for that time.  Be careful of doing it for free; you may not be around
to savor the fruits of your labor.  I don't mean to imply that you,
personally, will be let go, but contract tuners always should be aware
of this possibility.

Hope this helps.

Joel Rappaport
Rappaport's Piano Workshop

PNOTNR@aol.com wrote:
>
> I'd be interested in hearing diffrent opinions about when schools should
> consider buying new instruments as compared to having their existing pianos
> rebuilt.
>
> The school where I work was considering the purchase of 4 new pianos (2
> verticals and two grands).  It is a small music department with 27 pianos,
> (16 verticals and 11 grands) Six of the grands are Steinways, and they are
> all pretty well worn out.  The first project is rebuilding or replacing the
> S&S L in the piano prof. studio.
>
> I'll either be sending this out to a rebuilder, or they could pick up a new
> Yamaha C3 or C6 from the local music store.  What should I be considering?  I
> can't decide which is the better choice.  (The technician in me likes the
> thought that pianos get rebuilt, but I also think the school needs to get
> used to the idea that there needs to be a gradual turnover in their piano
> fleet.)
>
> Gordon Large, RPT
> Maine