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I run into this quite often. I use the car analogy to describe how =
pianos wear out. I also point out how pianos differ from antique cars =
that are "all original". The reasons a restored 1962 Corvette with all =
original parts and matching serial numbers is worth anything is because =
there are not any cars made like them anymore and mostly because there =
are many car clubs around where folks get together and show off their =
cars, etc., etc.
A 1902 or a 1962 or a 2002 Steinway or Bechstein or whatever uprights or =
grands don't look a whole lot different from one another. There are no =
piano clubs/magazines, etc. that attracts antique piano collectors, etc. =
An antique piano has no intrinsic value. The only way an "antique" piano =
has any value is usually if Harry Truman or Glenn Gould owned it, or =
maybe if it is very unusual in some unique way.
Then give them an appraisal of the wholesale value of their piano: less =
than zero. Give them a retail value of their piano: zero to $500 =
depending on cosmetics (does it have all the keytops) and whether all =
the keys work.
That usually does it. If they still don't believe you, then perhaps they =
just need to hear the same thing from another qualified technician.
Now you need to focus on these original parts - parts replacement. The =
"all original" restored 1962 Corvette has all its original metal and =
fiberglass parts (not even that actually - it could have a new =
alternator, etc., etc. - just the original "type") but all the =
SOFT/ORGANIC parts have been replaced with new. The seat covers and =
radiator hoses and brake lines are all new - they were not made by =
Chevrolet. The piano is the same way. The "hard parts", i.e. the parts =
that don't wear out or deteriorate on their own can stay - the case, =
plate, frame, keybed, etc. But the SOFT/ORGANIC parts that wear need to =
be replaced if you want it to look/perform like new - hammers, action =
parts, strings (not soft or organic, but you can replace with original =
type), soundboard and whatever.
Only for a museum restoration is there any reason to try and preserve =
everything in its original state. But keep in mind that is done for =
historical preservation only - not to make something work for everyday =
use.
If that doesn't work. Walk away - its hopeless!
BTW, IMHO those old Knabes are among the finest, if not the finest, =
uprights ever built - premium remanufacturing stock! Ya might even want =
to tell her you know someone in the business....... ;-)
Terry Farrell
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Sarah Fox=20
To: Pianotech=20
Sent: Monday, November 15, 2004 6:43 PM
Subject: Re: How do we tell customers that the work done on their =
pianosstinks?
Hi Tom et al.,
This whole motorized hammer filing discussion had me pondering a =
question that this thread touches on. Advice would be appreciated...
A friend's daughter, a young but accomplished musician =
(composer/violinist), has a beautiful 1905 Knabe upright with =
considerable wear and tear. The biggest problems with the piano are the =
hammer-like objects (HLOs), which come in all variety of random shapes =
and sizes, thanks to the skilled work of some unknown tooner from long =
ago, and the dampers, which are original and don't damp all that great. =
The piano has a LOT of sentimental value, and despite its wear, it's =
quite a nice instrument. I'd say it's an obvious candidate for new =
hammers and damper felt at the very least.
Here's the problem, though: The young lady who owns the piano =
believes that the old/original/butchered hammers and the old/original =
damper felt has antique value. In other words, this piano is "all =
original," and as such, it's very valuable. Replacing any of the old =
parts with new parts would lessen its value. Get the idea?
How do you convince such a person that her piano needs a good infusion =
of 21st Century wool? The fact that the old-styled Wurzen felt is now =
available should help, but I just don't think that will carry the =
argument. Have any of you run across this attitude? If so, what do you =
do?
Peace,
Sarah
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Thomas Cole=20
To: Pianotech=20
Sent: Sunday, November 14, 2004 12:45 PM
Subject: Re: How do we tell customers that the work done on their =
pianosstinks?
I had to tell a lady that her piano was untunable and that it needed =
restringing. She had just had it restrung in the previous year. She said =
that was what the last technician told her and, after a while, =
reluctantly, asked me to do the job again.=20
So, in answer to your question, tell the truth (but leave out the =
"crappy" and "useless" adjectives) and be the second technician to show =
up to give the bad news. :-)
Tom Cole
gordon stelter wrote:
The BEST part in a situation like this is telling the
customer that the former "technician" did useless and
crappy work. USUALLY the customer gets mad at YOU
instead of them! ( And doesn't believe you, i.e. "That
nice old man, xxxxx, worked on MY piano!" ( Smiling,
with beaming eyes. )
Does anyone here have suggestions on how to
handle telling a customer that the work they just paid
for is absolutely worthless garbage ?
Thump
P.S. I played a small private reception for a
celebrity you'd all recognize last night, in a big
mansion.......... on a Wurlitzer console. The owner
came up to me, beaming, "How do you like it ?" I
rejected the first 10 answers that came to mind, bit
my lip and politely said "It's OK ". ( I'm not good at
lying ) "When was it tuned ?" " Sometime in the last
year!" he beamed again.
Sheesh!
--- Farrell <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com> wrote:
Of course! But it's ok because the originals are
those really nice ones with the knuckle integrated
into the shank!
I'm sure you all have seen this kind of crap
workmanship before, but last night I thought I would
turn my attention to the backchecks and putting a
radius on the hammer tails. The guy also put new
backchecks on. Every one at a unique height. Many
pushing up adjacent hammers upon key stroke. The
hammer tails hit the backcheck at about a 45 degree
angle (tails don't check, they clunk!). Then I try
to gang sand the tails for a radius. Tails are
angled every which way. In, out, rotated.
If you took all the loose parts, thew them in a box
and shook it up and then looked inside, you would
have something that looks pretty close to this
action. I am exaggerating only slightly.
Arrrrggggg! It would have been less work to try and
make the original parts function, rather than trying
to make this hodge-podge of parts function. :-(
Ain't there a law?????
Terry Farrell
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Avery Todd=20
To: Pianotech=20
Sent: Saturday, November 13, 2004 5:47 PM
Subject: Re: Front Rail Punching Interference
Just wondering, but did "they" also install those
new hammers on old shanks/knuckles? :-)=20
Avery=20
At 03:56 PM 11/13/04, you wrote:
I think I found part of the problem already. The
tooner before me "rebuilt the piano" - you know, the
full monty - new strings, hammers, damper felts (yes
indeed, hanging way out past the damper heads) and
keytops - none of which were installed
straight/aligned, etc. I imagine this thing had
ivory keytops originally. The new keytops are thick
plastic (~2mm), and yup, you guessed it, he didn't
plane the keytops down to compensate for the thicker
keytops - so now I have keys that are one or two
millimeters thicker than original.....
=20
Oh well, back to the drawing board ........ er,
a, regulating table......
=20
Terry Farrell
----- Original Message -----=20
From: antares=20
To: Pianotech=20
Sent: Saturday, November 13, 2004 4:04 PM
Subject: Re: Front Rail Punching Interference
Terry,
First of all, you need to know the exact key
height of your key board.
This is the key to your regulation.
For instance.... the key height for Steinway
model S-B (measured from the key bed to the
underside of the key top covering) is 63 mm.
For Yamaha's this 64 mm.
It is the only way to get your basis straight.
After that, we're talking.
Andr=E9 Oorebeek
On 13-nov-04, at 20:47, Farrell wrote:
<?fontfamily><?param
Arial><?smaller>Help!<?/smaller><?/fontfamily>
<?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>I'm
trying to regulate a Baldwin "Monarch" microgrand
action. I haven't looked up the piano's age (can't
find my Pierce Atlas), but it is from the first half
of the 20th Century. I've run into this before. I
level keys (1/2" sharp height), regulate blow,
let-off, etc., and then go to set aftertouch. When I
have the proper aftertouch on the sharps, the
adjacent naturals hit the sharp front rail punching
before they hit their own front rail punching when
depressing the natural.<?/smaller><?/fontfamily>
<?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>That's
bad.<?/smaller><?/fontfamily>
<?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>What
gives? Have I done something stupid? Have I simply
overlooked something?<?/smaller><?/fontfamily>
<?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>Another
thing - I have to reduce blow to 1-3/4 inches to
provide sufficient key travel (about 3/8 inches -
way less than spec) to allow let-off and a tad of
aftertouch. I replaced the back rail felt with
original thickness (which is the thinnest sold by
the supply houses), I am using the thinnest front
rail punchings available, and I even have key height
a little bit higher than they were (and above spec -
more than 2-1/2 inches - I'm quite sure I'm still OK
with the fallboard).<?/smaller><?/fontfamily>
<?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>Again,
what gives? Action clearly appears all
original.<?/smaller><?/fontfamily>
<?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>This is
all a lot easier when you rebuild the action, go
through the Stanwood and geometry stuff, and have it
all correct from the get-go! Because, as in this
case, it can't be me, it's gotta be the action!
Right? ;-)<?/smaller><?/fontfamily>
<?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>Thanks
for anything anyone has to
offer.<?/smaller><?/fontfamily>
<?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>Terry
Farrell<?/smaller><?/fontfamily>
friendly greetings
from
Andr=E9 Oorebeek
"where Music is, no harm can be"
=20
=09
__________________________________=20
Do you Yahoo!?=20
Check out the new Yahoo! Front Page.=20
www.yahoo.com=20
=20
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