How do we tell customers that the work done on theirpianosstinks?

[Farrell]

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"Has *anyone* drawn up any guidelines as to the average service life of =
a hammer or damper felt?"

Again, car analogy, however, in this case we need to specify race car. =
Your run-or-the-mill Chevy Impala (or just about any other car) is =
utilitarian in nature. You need to change oil, fan belts, brakes, hoses, =
alternators, batteries, etc. either to prevent failure, or after the =
thing fails. On a race car, we change tires, shocks, pistons, valves, =
transmissions not so much to prevent failure, but rather to achieve the =
performance characteristics we are looking for.

The piano that sits unused most of the year and only rings out a tune =
when uncle Fred drops into town at Christmas and kicks out a Christmas =
carol is a utilitarian piano, much like the Impala. However, many, if =
not most, pianos are performance instruments - the players are trying to =
play well - they are trying to improve. So, the life of a hammer or =
damper is more based on whether it is meeting your performance needs, =
rather that whether its life span is up. And that is going to vary =
drastically from pianist to pianist.

Maybe the best thing to do is have this piano owner play a good =
performing new piano and then ask her how much she is really attached to =
her original antique hammers. If she can't put two-and-two together, =
then perhaps it doesn't matter.

Terry Farrell
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Sarah Fox=20
  To: Pianotech=20
  Sent: Tuesday, November 16, 2004 9:45 PM
  Subject: Re: How do we tell customers that the work done on =
theirpianosstinks?


  Hi Terry et al,

  Duh!  I hadn't considered the antique car analogy.  And yes, you =
refine the argument well regarding hard parts vs. soft parts.  I would =
modify the argument to "wear-and-tear" parts and "non-wear-and-tear" =
parts.  Wear-and-tear parts are, by definition, intended to be replaced. =
 They are expendable, like tires, belts, and hoses in a car -- or =
electric brushes in motors -- or needles on Victrolas -- or tubes in =
radios -- or paint on an old, Victorian house.  Without the "wear and =
tear" parts being replaced as needed, the antique becomes nonfunctional =
and therefore less valuable.

  Automobiles come with a manufacturer's recommended maintenance =
schedule -- i.e. when to change belts, hoses, etc.  How about pianos?  =
Has *anyone* drawn up any guidelines as to the average service life of a =
hammer or damper felt?  (If so, I'm sure it's less than 100 years.  This =
piano is 99 years old.)

  Anyway, my friend and I will be sending the piano off to said young =
musician before too long.  It will come with my minimal recommendation =
for a set of Ray's hammers, dampers, several new bass strings, a DC =
system, and CA'ing of several problem tuning pins.  I also want to =
recommend a technician in her area -- Los Angeles.  (Sorry it's on the =
other side of the country, Terry!!)  I would do this work myself, except =
that I refuse to touch the piano again, after she got her nose in the =
air that the last tuning wasn't done by a *professional*.  (I thought =
the tuning was pretty good.  The Suzuki violin teachers agreed, as it =
was their favorite in-home piano for accompanying the children during =
lessons and recitals.  Ah well...)  Anyway, who would y'all recommend in =
the Los Angeles area for this piano?

  Peace,
  Sarah

  PS Sentimental value really *is* worth something with this piano.  =
It's the piano on which she learned (second instrument) and started =
composing.  She's bonded with it.  It's a karma thing to her, which is =
understandable.

    ----- Original Message -----=20
    From: Farrell=20
    To: Pianotech=20
    Sent: Tuesday, November 16, 2004 7:02 AM
    Subject: Re: How do we tell customers that the work done on =
theirpianosstinks?


    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

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