Plastic elbow dilemma? Get a grip. A broken elbow takes only a minute to replace with a 22 cent part. Alas, even a full set replacement does not provide enough money for a full retirement. The real dilemma is how to characterize the various responses --- arrogant, disdainful, despotic, pretentious, pompous, condescending... it is so hard to choose, I need a thesaurus. <<You would be better off spending time with a more reasonable customer...>> <<I made it quite clear that when I started to tune that if more than three additional elbows broke, I would end the tuning right there and would charge for my time, condeming the piano as untunable until the elbows were replaced.>> <<I would insist on replacing all the elbows, or not doing the job. >> You guys would love the con artist we currently have running around Phoenix. I just saw his most recent work. He would not tune a spinet piano until it was properly repaired, so he pulled the keys (threw the keybed felts and punchings away), pulled the action and took all the whippens off so he could replace 70+ perfectly good Vagias elbows and a few old broken plastic originals with wood ones ( nice looking job= 20 hours at $30.00 an hour - didn't put the whippens back on the rail ), then he left everything apart in a heap, including the keys, action, and case parts, until the nice little Hispanic lady (no English) could come up with more money to proceed, because the $650.00 she had already paid him had by this point been exhausted. He figures another $800.00 or so to finish the action and keybed work and THEN he will tune it. He is truly an ARTISTE! DILEMMA SOLUTION---For those technicians who cannot bring themselves to replace a few elbows. Vet the customers when they call, "pre-qualify" them so that you NEVER go out to tune anything but a Steinway that is less than 2 cents flat! That should end the tiresome and laborious task of telling customers that their piano is crap, and basically so are they unless they pony up and pay you as much as you want, when you want, to do what you want. AND - FOR A STERLING EXCEPTION; My hat is off to Mr. Keith McGavern for his sympathetic and humane response; <<What I'd do. - Since you have advised her about complete replacement, honor what she asks you to do, charge accordingly, and be thankful for the opportunity to serve yet another customer. Keith McGavern. >> That's the way to go. Respectfully, Bill Simon Phoenix
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