Liability advice

[Clyde Hollinger]

Al,

If the piano was structurally sound it is inconceivable to me that doing
a pitchraise of ANY size will cause the ribs to pull loose from the
soundboard.  Raising the piano to standard pitch and tuning it did not
CAUSE the problem; it just made it obvious.  I know how it looks to the
client, but it would seem unfair to me if the client would expect you to
do this repair without charging for it.

My guess is that the cost of the piano, the tuning and the rib repair
will still be less than a similar used piano in good condition would
have cost in a music store, if that's any consolation to the client.

Regards,
Clyde Hollinger, Registered Piano Technician
Lititz, PA

 

Al & Jody Williams wrote:
> 
> 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.