Plastic Spinet Elbows

[Brian L Jane]

Jim -

Replacing the elbows is not a huge job. It only takes a couple-three
hours, with the associated regulation, to replace the set. If it is an
"heirloom" why would she not want it to play well? You can't tune the
thing if the action is not working! If she does not want to at least make
it functional for you to tune it, then I do not think that you probabley
want her business. Pity... it is not a big job really.

I had a spinet like you are talking about recently. It had one key with a
broken elbow when I showed up at the piano, which greatly alarmed the
owner who had just bought the instrument used. I did some firm test blows
on the piano and blew out 6 more - THEN had three more fail on me while I
was tuning. I scheduled to replace the entire set on that instrument
during a future appointment. 

When I have a client with an older spinet, I generally do the same as
yourself: let them know that there are a lot better instruments out
there. Having a 30 year old spinet is like driving an 68 VW that is only
firing on three cylinders. It may get you there, but I would not venture
on to the freeway!

Brian
Allegro Piano Svc
Fallbrook, CA