Liability advice- Missing the Point

[Billbrpt@AOL.COM]

In a message dated 9/9/99 6:16:55 AM Pacific Daylight Time, you write:

<< Bill,
 
 Say it isn't so.  I was waiting for you to write how unfair the PSO comments 
 were to the Grand company.  I applaud you.  
 
 Ed Tomlinson >>

I'm afraid there is a point at which anyone would draw the line.  What I 
think is harmful is to quickly dismiss just about any piano that we typically 
are called upon to tune and service.  Many of these modest pianos are now 30 
and 40 years old and more and still going strong.  If they can last that 
long, they must have been well made.

I even tune a few of these "Grand" pianos from time to time but I wouldn't 
use any of those techniques that people often talk about such as CA glue in 
the pinblock, regluing loose ribs, bridge repair, soundboard repair or 
backposts and frame separation repairs to "save" one.  I'd let it go.  Action 
service, yes, but any extraordinary measures to keep one going aren't worth 
it.

There are a few others that fit into the same category.  We almost never hear 
of any questions or comments about them because most of them have already 
gone to the junkyard.  Some names are, Winter, Kincaid, Jesse French, 
Stark...any others? 

In comparison, Kimball, as a company, has been a shining gold pillar of the 
industry.  Sure, there have been some Kimballs which have been failures, as 
with just about any manufacturer's pianos but again, most of those have 
already been discarded.  Any that are left might well last the 75 years that 
the manufacturer warranted the soundboard for.

I earned $150 in 2 hours last night at 6 PM just to replace some damper 
springs on a Baldwin Acrosonic.  That, on top of a three digit figure for a 
pitch raise and tuning the day before.  The piano was given to the family by 
some relatives who no longer wanted it.  They wanted it ready for lessons 
today, they could afford to have it repaired and with damper springs being 
the only real problem, it was worth it.

 It takes time and skill to disassemble that drop action, clean it out, 
tighten the flanges and replace 15 damper springs.  It made my earnings for 
the day really good  and it was worth it to the customers.  The piano was 
otherwise very sturdy and has a perfectly normal sound now and will serve the 
family and its young children for the entire time they will be growing up.  I 
couldn't say the same for this piano that was popping the ribs loose.

Bill Bremmer RPT
Madison, Wisconsin