More Money in Tuning or Servicing?

[BobDavis88@aol.com]

Okay, get out your flame suit. As one who sometimes does rebuilding for
others, I am really disturbed by Greg Newell's message:

<< I had a very bad experience with a
 rebuilder at the exact opposite end of our state....  I contracted with him
to install
 a pinblock ,restring,and refinish a customers piano while I
 reconditioned the action.  I finally got the piano back only 45 days
 after the expected time with the pin block too low to install the
 action.  I was there when his guys delivered it and the customer wqas
 so upset that they would not even entertain the thought of sending it
 back.  All trust was lost and I spent the day trying to chip away a
 layer or two of the underside of the pinblock so that I could slide
 the action in.  I recieved no consideration from this rebuilder as he
 offered to redo it so I guess that was supposed to be enough.  The
 family name is well know from a sterling reputation of the father. 
 The son who now runs the business was the one I dealt with and I did
 not find that the reputation was upheld.  Watch!!!! Beware !!!! .... 
 				hope this helps,
 					Greg Newell >>
...........
First, what caused this problem? I can think of several reasons:
1) New block same thickness but shims at shelf removed to lower plate - whole
block lower
2) Thicker block with shims removed - plate location the same, less clearance
3) Thicker block planed only at shelf, hangs down farther
4) Action placement higher or slightly mismatched new action parts requiring
higher drop screw adjustment

In any case, it is the rebuilders' (both of them) responsibility to provide
the same or at least adequate clearance. If the block is actually lower, it is
a small error with large consequences. However, what if you chose the wrong
action parts? The first thing YOU would want done is that the customer be
assured that it was a small error which you will fix immediately with as
little inconvenience to them as possible. I'm sure you wouldn't want "the
other rebuilder" suggesting that you never be trusted or allowed to correct
your error. 

While it's possible that the rebuilder might have to eat a new pinblock on
this one, it's more likely that consultation with him might also have turned
up a quicker, perfectly workmanlike way of creating clearance that didn't take
all day chipping away at the block (this might not be the best way to solve
the problem).

I make mistakes too (I've made this one, [just once]), but while this one had
a disabling effect, it was still just that, a mistake, not evidence of
incompetence. I would be really upset if I offered to correct it, whether it
was easily solved or even if it involved significant expense, and the client
chose to refuse. 

I expect many of us know who you are talking about (I wish you hadn't
identified him to that degree), and I am sure that in the thousands of pianos
his family has rebuilt over the decades, they have made a mistake or two, as
we all have, and I expect they wouldn't have achieved their reputation if they
weren't eager to make them right.

Golden Rule and all that.....

Bob Davis