"Kranich and Barf"? Maybe a "Hurl-itzer"?

[Tvak at aol.com]

List
 
Probably the most disgusting thing I've ever seen in my ten years as a  
technician, I saw today.  The piano was in a hotel.  I was asked to  tune the piano 
in the ballroom and then give them an estimate on repairs  for the one in the 
basement.  
 
Tuned the grand in the ballroom.  Went downstairs to find a Kawai  grand with 
some case damage. Opened the keycover and played a few notes and the  bass 
sounded pretty nice, out of tune, but nice.  Playing  chromatically up from the 
bass, I found a couple of notes in the midrange  with unisons that were minor 
seconds. Then in octave five, all hell broke  loose, with some unisons having 
a string a fifth lower, and such. 
 
So I took the music desk out and when I looked inside, there it was.   
Somebody had thrown up all over the tuning pins in the octave 5/octave 6  register . 
 AND NO ONE HAD EVEN TRIED TO CLEAN IT UP.   There  were chunks of...and...I 
can't even tell you the color of...and the pins were  coated in rust and...it 
was still an inch deep in places and...it was probably  about a week old, I'd 
guess, just from the amount of rust and moisture content  of the...
 
I gotta stop right there.  It makes me wonder, though.  I mean,  the guy who 
did this couldn't turn his head to the side and puke on the  floor?  He had to 
puke IN the piano?  
 
I picture some dedicated lounge pianist, feeling a bit ill, but determined  
to finish the set.  "Must...finish...gig...only 8 bars left to PROUD  
MARY.....bbblllluuuUUHHHHHGHHHH!!!!"
 
Now, if anyone is still reading this disgusting post, I do have an actual  
serious question I'd like to ask.  I gave them an estimate on a new  pinblock 
and strings and they said they would buy an electronic keyboard  instead.  I 
said if they were going to get rid of the piano, I'd like to  make a bid on it.  
She asked, how much?

The piano is only about  10-15 years old.  I don't have the model number, but 
it's a Kawai grand,  about 5' 6", black polyester, needs new pinblock and 
strings, some pretty  extensive case damage (Lid hinge broken off, BIG scrapes on 
side, polyester  cracked open to the bare wood in several spots) but it seems 
like the action is  fine, and the tone was quite nice.  
 
Considering the condition of the piano, what is a legitimate offer to buy  
the piano as is?  And if I were to repair the piano to showroom condition  (new 
strings, pinblock, case repaired, etc.) what do you think I could get for  it. 
It's less than 15 years old.  
 
Thanks for reading, and for any input you might have for me,
 
Tom Sivak
Chicago

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