warranties

[Delwin D Fandrich]

ralph m martin wrote:

> Del and List
> Possibly Del or some of the older folks on this list may remember a
> particular piano manufacturer around the 50's or early 60's that
> warranted their SB for a specific length of time. ( 10 or 20 years) I
> knew a dealer who sold quite a few of them that cracked and even lost
> their crown in five years.
>
> When the dealer contacted the manufacturer he was told to please read the
> fine print in the warranty. It stated that any defective pianos had to be
> shipped back to the factory in "THEIR ORIGINAL FACTORY CRATE" the dealer
> was further informed that , although the SB was warranted, it was NOT
> GUARANTEED. Therefore the dealer or customer would also have to absorb
> the cost of installation as well as the cost of shipping both ways.
>
> Don't remember who they were at this point in time but remember vividly
> the uselessness of the warranty.
>
> How 'bout them apples?
>
> Ralph Martin

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Ralph,

Just how old do you think I am, anyway?

But, yes, I do remember "warranties" of that sort. I think that, by law, those days are pretty much over. But...

Some of the new ones aren't much better in real terms. I remember sitting through on manufacturers rep's proud presentation
of his companies new "lifetime" warranty. When he finished and asked for questions, a tech in the back of the room explained
that he was happy to hear about the details of this warranty because he was servicing one of their grands that had developed
a problem. It seems that the centerpins used in the damper levers had developed some form of corrosion and were sticking in
the up position. The only permanent solution was going to require removing the damper tray, repining the whole thing and
reassembling and regulating the whole damper assembly. Since the piano was fairly new, would any part of this repair be
covered under that shiny new warranty? Well, yes, absolutely. That's just the sort of thing that this warranty is for. Just
send a written description of the problem, along with the customers name and address, the dealers name and address, the date
of sale, the model and serial number of the piano, etc., and the company would be happy to send out a new set of centerpins.

The warranty, and the company, went over like a lead balloon.

Del