Why Do They Do It?

[Ned Swift]

>Brand new subdivision. Not a home there
>less
>than $300,000 - some quite a bit more. A piano from Goodwill in this
>home?

I know the feeling.  Got a call one time to tune a piano.  When I got to the 
address, there was a brand new 3,000 sq ft house with 5 bathrooms. (husband 
is a plumber) In the middle of the huge living room stood an old Grinnel 
Bros upright that had been painted several times.  The woman said that she 
bought it a few years ago from a local music teacher and got a good deal on 
it.  Now that they had moved into their new house, she was going to refinish 
it herself.  No kids in the house and she only played a little.  Checked it 
over and found that the bass bridge was shot along with all of the other 
usual problems.

Told her that it would take a lot of time and money to get the piano right 
and that she would be better off looking for something different.  Then I 
told her that a grand piano would look really classy in her living room and 
told her that I would help her find one if she wanted me to.  She ended up 
buying a grand from the local college's yearly piano sale.  She now has a 
decent looking piano and I don't have to work on junk.

Moral of the story, while these people are money conscious, they are also 
status conscious.  If they weren't, they wouldn't build such expensive 
houses.  All they need is a little push in the right direction.

What's more, once the first grand moves into the neighborhood more will 
quickly follow in an effort to keep up with the Jones'es.  I have even seen 
people who don't play the piano go out and buy an expensive grand. And, if 
you get your foot in the first door as the tuner of choice, you may end up 
with a lot more new business from their neighbors as well.  Yes, it is a 
real pain to deal with these junk pianos but use it as an opportunity to 
sell them on something better.

Ned Swift
Lowell, MI






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