Liability advice

[Joe & Penny Goss]

Al & Jody,
The failure of this instrument was due to the environment that it was kept
in as well as the poor construction methods used in its manufacture.
Having pitched raised over 10,000 pianos from 30 to 200 cents flat and
including instruments that have been stored for years in barns and storage
sheds, going through floods etc. with only a broken string or 5 the total
deeded repair on any instrument.
It is my strong feeling that the other tech is trying to under cut you and
build himself up.
Joe Goss
Mother Goose Music
410 Ada Road
New Plymouth Id. 83655


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From: Al & Jody Williams <bluefiddle@texoma.net>
To: pianotech@ptg.org
Subject: Liability advice
Date: Saturday, September 04, 1999 8:08 PM

I have been a RPT for the past 19 years. Last week I tuned a new customer`s
Grand spinet piano. They had bought it from their church where it had been
in storage for no one knew how long. I measured  pitch with my Sanderson
and found A4 15 cents flat of pitch, the treble 25 cents flat, and high
treble almost 1/2 step flat. Minimal rust on strings and pins reasonably
tight, so I raised it to standard pitch , was paid, and left. A week later
my customer calls complaining of a terrible buzz throughout the piano, so
back I go to investigate. I found every single last rib had pulled away
from the soundboard on both ends. I had a good conversation  with the
husband explaining that this condition  is one of the pit falls of buying a
used instrument without having it inspected by a piano tech., and that
normal maintenance such as a pitch raise and tuning did not cause the
problem. Several days later the Lady of the house calls and explains that
she has spoken with another tech.-qualifications unknown- who told her that
before any pitch raise the customer should be warned of the irreparable
structural damage that can occur during a pitch raise.Since I did not give
her fair warning as to what could happen,  she feels that I am liable for
the damage to her piano`s ribs. Her thinking is  that it worked fine before
I tuned it and now it is broke. So what do you all think?  I plan to
present her with all the responses I receive to this post and she can
decide if I am liable, a crook,a con artist or what ever.RPTs,give me your
thoughts, privately if you like at >bluefiddle@texoma.net.< Thanks, Al
Williams.