Bridging the cap

[Ron Nossaman]

>
> There have been many times when I've turned down a job because I couldn't
> justify charging what it would take to "fix" the piano. But then found out
> later that the customer found someone who charged less, and made the customer
> happy. Perhaps what I should do in the future, instead of just turning down
> project like that, is find younger, less experienced technicians, but who do
> admirable work, to take on refurbishing these old relics. It give them the
> experience and money they need, and frees up my time to take on other project
> that I feel justified taking money for. Does that sound kind of "uppity?" Or
> are there other out there who feel the same say? 
>
> Wim 


For me, it depends on the instrument. I want as little as possible to do with
spinets mostly because there are so few critical parts inside that I can both
see and reach. I'll leave those to folks with a higher frustration threshold.
With other verticals, it's mostly a matter of whether the money spent will
actually improve the piano. I'm not interested in the usual refinishing, new
keytops not trimmed to fit, filed hammers and shiny new bridle straps that seem
to constitute the bulk of vertical piano "rebuild" work that I've followed. If
someone wants to spend $4k, $8k, $16k, or whatever on an old upright to make it
as right as I can manage with the budget, and the piano has the potential to be
a useable instrument when it's finished, I'll take it on. If they won't spend
the money to do what I consider necessary, I'll pass. There's always someone
else that will shoot her in the foot for an attractively low price. If it was
born junk, I'll pass unless they want an entirely new piano installed in their
old case. That would be interesting and rewarding enough to take on.

With grands, it's a matter of what is there to work with. Just like with
verticals. I don't much care what name is on the fallboard, or what the piano
cost new. If they want a realistic instrument from the result and not just a
minimum cost cosmetic massage, then we'll talk price ranges vs results.
Cost/performance and cost/market value are vastly different concerns, and I'm
more interested in the cost/performance aspect. Again, as high a minimum
standard as I can manage.

If the customer has the money to spend, and if they wish to spend it on this
piano, and if the piano is salvageable, and if they will allow modifications as
necessary, they can easily end up with a far better piano than they ever
dreamed was possible - and it still looks like the old ancestral beater and
picture shelf. I like it a lot when I can serve both the nostalgic and the
performance needs of a customer.

Ron N