I don't know...I could almost believe sawing legs of pianos...;-] David I. ----- Original message ---------------------------------------- From: "gordon stelter" <lclgcnp@yahoo.com> To: Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org> Received: 10/6/2005 12:34:33 PM Subject: Re: Rebuilding Ripoff >It is saddest when you have a cabal of "techs" >operating in the same area, all doing the same horrid >cheating and swindling, in some sort of compact with >one another to not "break ranks" and do quality work! > That is what I found here, and had to take >wholesale work from Atlanta stores to survive as they >fabricated total lies about me ( drug addict, saws >legs off to pass pianos through doors, etc. ) to ruin >my business. > They are dead or retired now, and one other caring >technician has started operating here, for which I am >grateful. It is terrible to see people cheated, and >instruments mutilated. > Thump >--- Farrell <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com> wrote: >> A term like "completely rebuilt" can indeed be >> wide-ranging and mean different things to different >> folks. However, $9K for a sub-basic paint job, new >> strings and new keytops is nothing short of a >> rip-off IMHO. >> >> Also, the piano owners had replacement insurance - >> they could have gone out and had their insurance >> company buy them a new $14K piano - but she had >> grown attached to the old Schubert and the task at >> hand for the rebuilder was to make the piano like >> new - completely rebuild it! She got ripped-off >> royally - misled, defrauded and ripped-off! >> >> Terry Farrell >> Richard, the "Piano Guy" wrote: >> >> >> Sometimes its hard to say where the term >> "completely rebuilt" comes from. I have clients who >> use that term, after I replaced a few hard dampers, >> and tuned it. They call me and say you 'rebult" my >> piano last year, can you come and tune it. I am not >> sure how that happens. But I do know I come across >> 1st time clients that tell me old so and so rebuilt >> my piano and put in all new felt. How much did that >> cost I ask. Claiming she spent over a thousand, I >> dont have the ehart to tell them all that got >> replaced was bridle straps. I guess what I am saying >> is, sometimes its the client, sometimes its the tech >> who did the dirty worjk. IMHO. >> >> Farrell <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com> wrote: >> I know. We've all seen 'em. But I still am >> dumbfounded each time I run across a really bad one >> like the following: >> >> Went to tune a 90-year-old Schubert microgrand >> today. Lady said it was hard to control the action. >> I told her it was because her action had 90 years >> worth of wear (except for new keytops) and was way >> out of regulation- likely never regulated. Brought >> it to my shop today for a full action regulation and >> refurbishing. >> >> The piano had been recently refinished (no grain >> filling, no rub-out), restrung (no bridge work, >> coils half-inch above plate, coils not tight, etc.) >> and most damper felts replaced (several were >> orginals or used, a couple flat felts in bass, >> lengths very irregular, etc). Original pinblock, no >> bridge work, action completely original and never >> regulated (key leveling looked like I-75 going into >> the foothills of the Appalacian Mountains), keypins >> are severely rusted - key bushings are toast. >> >> Lady told me the piano had been "completely >> rebuilt" 8 years ago. It had been subject to some >> water damage and their insurance paid for the >> "complete rebuild". And she thought it was a good >> deal because the rebuilder said the replacement >> value was $14,000 and he was only charging $9,000 >> for the rebuild. Before she told me those fees, she >> asked me what had been done to the piano (after I >> told her the action was all original) and what I >> would have charged for the work that had been done. >> I told her it had been refinished, restrung and new >> keytops installed - that's all - and that if I were >> to do those tasks as had been done, I would charge >> about $3,500. She appeared somewhat shell-shocked. >> >> What a ripoff. Sad. >> >> Terry Farrell > >__________________________________ >Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 >http://mail.yahoo.com >_______________________________________________ >pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
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