Piano Fiasco

[Farrell]

Oh Ron, you make things so difficult sometimes. If one has a good
recommendation to go on, go that way. If not, open the Yellow Pages and look
for a pretty ad (that one would be mine) or a serious professional-looking
ad (that would be the FBI-looking one with the PTG logo in it). You call the
number and see if the dude (or dude-et) sounds intelligent. If you feel
half-way comfortable, make the appointment for them to inspect the piano.
You take a chance and do the best you can.

My last two used cars I bought, I simply took to the nearest Mercedes repair
place to where the car was located and had them inspected. Both times I had
a good experience. They charged a couple hundred bucks and their report
indicated a pretty thorough inspection. Both vehicles turned out to be good
ones. The one I bought before without inspection turned out to be a real
FIASCO.

Same with the pianos. Now you and I both know that piano techs will vary
quite a bit in their ability to inspect all aspects of a piano. And it might
even be the case where the local tuning wizard that does all the concert
work for the symphony may be all thumbs when it comes to inspecting a piano
belly. But most should be able to tell a worn-out piece of junk from a
lovely solid piano.

So that's how a piano newbie has to do it: Take a stab and hope for the
best. I think that you have a reasonably good chance of doing better with
Joe (or Jane) Blow piano tech on your team than going it alone.

I know that the folks that pull me out of the Yellow Pages are in good
shape!  :-)

Terry Farrell

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ron Nossaman" <RNossaman@KSCABLE.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2001 10:29 PM
Subject: Re: Piano Fiasco


> >You know.....I would never come right out and say this to a customer in
this
> >situation since they are sure to be kicking themselves as it is, but....
why
> >would anyone pay this kind of money for a used anything, without having
it
> >checked out by an impartial professional?
>
> I presume that would be one of the ubiquitous qualified and competent
> impartial professionals? And how would a prospective buyer choose such a
> sterling individual from among the large shiny yellow page ads, or from
the
> random (and all different) recommendations from the individuals on their
> social and political "A" list? It's really easy to write this sort of
thing
> off to the rash and impulsive whim of an ignorant victim who didn't have
> enough sense to acquire or hire before the fact, the education necessary
to
> avoid biting the big one, but where do these pre-doomed individuals go to
> get the information they need to make a marginally intelligent and
informed
> decision?
>
>
> Ron N