String 'em Up, Boys

[Richard Moody]

----- Original Message -----
From: <tune4u@earthlink.net>
To: Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Monday, May 26, 2003 2:07 PM
Subject: String 'em Up, Boys


> I'm quoting on a total restring, w/new pins, of a 1922 Hamilton
upright with
> original player action (rebuilt, electrified, and working fine).
>
> I've never worked on a player so:

Don't do it unless you have the player piano technician whom the
owner has paid to keep this piano in service come and remove every
thing for you and then of course put it back in when you are done.
"Electrified and working fine" means that if you go there and look
inside and have "never worked on a player" it will never play like
it did before you came. The reason being, player pianos,
especially those that are "rebuilt, electrified and !!!working
fine!!!" sense the presence of a piano technician who doesn't know
about player pianos and choose that moment go fubar.
    Do not even put a roll in, let the owner do it first.

    What is the compelling reason for complete restringing?  Can
it wait 20 years until the player needs major service or
rebuilding again?

    There is a simple remedy for making the old bass strings sound
50% to 70%  of new  without even   removing the bottom pump
bellows but I want $20 bucks in advance for that "consultation".
(thanks Roger) :)

---rm


hmmm maybe I should  not caution but simply offer $30 per hour
phone consultation,,,,after 9:00 pm though.    You would need to
email digital photos.  Better yet wait until I am travelling
through,
your area.
Real time consultation is only $40/ hr.  Real time player work is
$60/hr.   I can remove the whole unit in 10 to 30 minutes
depending on how
close to original the rebuild was.