acrosonic wippens, anyone?

[William Benjamin]

William R.

When I was teaching at the Piano Hospital we had a customer want to have her
Wurlitzer spinet: restrung, refinished and rebuilt.   We wrote on the
receipt, "work exceeds the value of the piano."   This was a keepsake and
our opinion didn't matter.   What mattered is that her mother had given her
that piano when she was a child and she wanted it saved.

William, who doesn't out guess the next person in line.

PIANO BOUTIQUE
William Benjamin
Piano Tuner Extraordinaire
www.pianoboutique.biz
The tuner alone,
preserves the tone.
 

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf
Of William R. Monroe
Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 8:09 PM
To: Pianotech
Subject: Re: acrosonic wippens, anyone?

Duane,

I agree with all your sentiments.  However, I still cannot get past the
results of the labor.  What do you do when a client wants to spend $1500 to
get their piano back in shape, and the results will be a crappy piano?  Do
you educate them on the possiblity of a newer instrument - one that has the
potential, or is, a much more musical, satisfying instrument to play?  That
is the question for me.  I recently had a client spend $800 to refurbish a
sentimental old upright.  When it was done, it was hardly mediocre.  I
clearly explained what she would have when the work was done - not much of a
piano.  Sentimentality won out.  I have no problem with that, but I do think
that if the client is really better served by an upgrade, we should be
keeping them informed on both sides of the issue, rather than just selling
work.

More than once I have given up good money for repair jobs because the
clients interests really were not best served by that approach.  All I'm
saying is give them all the options clearly, and if they still want to pay
big bucks for a mediocre instrument, I'm happy to oblige.

Respectfully,
William R. Monroe



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Hechler Family" <dahechler@charter.net>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 3:58 PM
Subject: Re: acrosonic wippens, anyone?


> Gads, I can't believe this list is that biased.
>
> Sure most of the pianos I service are most likely candidates for the
> landfill - BUT - if the customer is willing to pay my normal rate (which
> is what I go by) then I'll do the work. Besides most of them also have
> sentimental value or they just want a piano to plunk around on.
>
> There are a lot of churches in my area that have spinets (for choir
> practice, etc) even for church performances, and, yes, they even have,
> as you the list term POS's Acrosonic pianos.
>
> Not everyone can afford - or - even want grand pianos.
>
> I had a customer once, a church, that had several spinets because they
> were easy to move around. The church happened to be a gospel church and
> kept breaking strings on the pianos - did I care - NO - because they
> needed them fixed and they paid me.
>
> Bottom line, unless the pianos are darn near falling apart and the
> customer is willing to pay me my normal rate - I'll fix them - and
> gladly collect my - well earned - money.
>
> AND, REMEMBER, THOSE "UPRIGHTS" SOMEONE HAS TO FIX THEM.
>
> ANOTHER BIAS THAT IRRITATES ME IS PLAYERS. SURE PLAYERS ARE A PAIN TO
> TUNE. THAT IS WHY I CHARGE MORE FOR TUNING A PLAYER. THERE SEEMS TO BE A
> SHORTAGE OF TECHS WILLING TO TUNE AND SERVICE THE PIANO ACTIONS OF A
> PLAYER - GREAT, FANTASTIC, STUPENDOUS - MORE MONEY IN MY POCKET !
>
> -- 
> Duaine Hechler
> Piano, Player Piano, Pump Organ
> Tuning, Servicing & Rebuilding
> Associate Member of the Piano Technicians Guild
> Reed Organ Society Member
> St. Louis, MO 63034
> (314) 838-5587
> dahechler@charter.net
> www.hechlerpianoandorgan.com
> _______________________________________________
> pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
>
>


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