[pianotech] pianotech Digest, Vol 2, Issue 153

Porritt, David dporritt at mail.smu.edu
Sat Dec 20 16:50:00 PST 2008


Joe:

What's the problem other than that you sent a whole digest with your reply?

dp


David M. Porritt, RPT
dporritt at smu.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Joseph Garrett
Sent: Saturday, December 20, 2008 6:15 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] pianotech Digest, Vol 2, Issue 153

List,
It's stuff like this that keeps me in seclusion!

Joe Garrett, R.P.T. (Oregon)
Captain, Tool Police
Squares R I



> [Original Message]
> From: <pianotech-request at ptg.org>
> To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
> Date: 12/20/08 3:17:15 PM
> Subject: pianotech Digest, Vol 2, Issue 153
>
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> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
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>
> Today's Topics:
>
>    1. Re: Baldwin Layoffs (Will Truitt)
>    2. Onesti Balance hole repair system (Ryan Sowers)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Sat, 20 Dec 2008 16:54:54 -0500
> From: "Will Truitt" <surfdog at metrocast.net>
> Subject: Re: [pianotech] Baldwin Layoffs
> To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
> Message-ID: <000f01c962ed$976f8850$c64e98f0$@net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> HI Shawn:
>
>  
>
> Of course, if we compare Gib-Ron's antics to those sociopathic Lords of
the
> Universe on Wall Street who've pocketed the $350 Billion without spreading
> it around to restart lending and who are still giving out literally
Billions
> in bonuses, I guess it's small potatoes.  And compare it to a Treasury
> Secretary who gave it to them with no strings attached, who just happened
to
> be the CEO of Goldman Sachs until 2006.  It's my guess he'll go back to
Wall
> Street after January 20, with hundreds of millions in signing bonuses,
which
> will probably come from YOUR money, as in part of the $350 billion we gave
> them.   We do live in Interesting Times.  
>
>  
>
> Will Truitt
>
>  
>
> From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On
Behalf
> Of Shawn Brock
> Sent: Saturday, December 20, 2008 9:54 AM
> To: pianotech at ptg.org
> Subject: Re: [pianotech] Baldwin Layoffs
>
>  
>
> Yes Sir,    
>
>  
>
> you understand it!  That is the thing that I could never get past when it
> comes to Gibson.  They would march into these mom and pop businesses and
say
> "You can't be a dealer of our products anymore unless you place an order
of
> $100000 or more."  That was a dumb thing to do in my opinion!  One day
they
> will live to regret the way they handle things...  It also seems that
Gibson
> don't give a damn about the American worker or consumer, as long as they
can
> push the useless overpriced goods into the American consumers hands that
is.
> One can buy a custom string instrument from a person who makes it by hand
> for the same price you can buy something made on the Gibson CNC.  At least
> the custom builder will owner the life time warrantee.
>
>  
>
> Best,
>
> Shawn Brock, RPT
>
> 513-316-0563
>
> www.shawnbrock.com
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
>
> From: Will Truitt <mailto:surfdog at metrocast.net>  
>
> To: pianotech at ptg.org 
>
> Sent: Friday, December 19, 2008 6:16 PM
>
> Subject: Re: [pianotech] Baldwin Layoffs
>
>  
>
> Hi Shawn:
>
>  
>
> As a former Baldwin dealer who was taken out into the "Killing Fields" in
> April 2002 by Gibson along with over 300 other dealers and had my "dealer"
> throat slit by them, I can certainly share many of your sentiments.  They
> were kind enough to let me be a dealer again if I gave them a $300,000
> order, but I declined.  I have never understood how dumping 90% of your
> dealers after the company you just bought had gone through Chapter 7
> bankruptcy and the economy was in decline after 9/11, but who am I to
judge?
> And they certainly have an industry wide reputation for playing dirty as
you
> show.  And I also know vendors that they have refused to pay in the past.
> So if Henry Juscowitz (who owns Gibson and Baldwin) loses his shirt, I
won't
> shed any tears either.  
>
>  
>
> Still, I repeat that it is a sad moment.  First, we have lost another
> manufacturer of pianos on American soil, and we were once the envy of the
> world for our piano production.  Secondly, it is real people who are
losing
> their jobs, and it is having a profound effect on their lives.  Some have
> suggested here that this is due to unionization, but I think one would be
> hard pressed to compare the average piano worker to the auto worker for
> benefits and wages.  And the underlying issues are far broader and more
> complex than that.
>
>  
>
> When I was a Baldwin dealer prior to the bankruptcy, I worked with a great
> many really capable, competent, and hard working people within the
company.
> It genuinely distressed me to see them lose their jobs, because they were
> good people and they weren't the reason the company was failing.  That I
> would attribute to upper management that couldn't take its head out of its
> butt long enough to see what was going on, and a Board of Director that
> allowed this to go on for several years.  
>
>  
>
> I would not be surprised if we see Baldwin Artist Grands being made in
China
> in the coming months.  
>
>  
>
> Will Truitt
>
>  
>
>  
>
>  
>
> From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On
Behalf
> Of Shawn Brock
> Sent: Friday, December 19, 2008 10:33 AM
> To: hpp at highpointpiano.com; pianotech at ptg.org
> Subject: Re: [pianotech] Baldwin Layoffs
>
>  
>
> Yep,
>
>  
>
> that sounds like the Baldwin I know.  One of the lousy things about living
> in Cincinnati is we sure have a lot of Baldwin products left over from the
> days when they actually built pianos here.  One of my favorite customers
is
> the granddaughter of DH Baldwin.  She has 2 7 foots in her living room. 
Its
> fun to hear stories about the company from her.  She had told me once that
> she understood that things just don't last and she was proud of all the
> company did before being bought by Gibson.  Other than the American job
loss
> it doesn't bother me in the slightest that Baldwin is going under yet
again.
> If all of Gibson went belly up it wouldn't matter to me.  I would sure
feel
> bad for anyone who would be out of a job, but other than that its all
okay.
> Gibson thought they could both save the musical instrument market and
> control the world of instrument making.  The closing of Baldwin just shows
> they can't.  Gibson has tried to put almost every American maker of
musical
> instruments out of business by suing on the grounds of trademark
> infringement.  I'm not just talking about the major companies like PRS and
> CF Martin, they have drug people into court who only make 12 to 15
> instruments a year.  Knowing the small time makers could not fight them,
> they neither had the money or the power to put up a struggle.  I disliked
> the Gibson company so much that I turned down offers for 4 years for an
> endorsement.  I stuck with the custom builders and told them to "go to
> hell!"  Any how...
>
>  
>
> Regards,
>
> Shawn Brock, RPT
>
> 513-316-0563
>
> www.shawnbrock.com
>
>  
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
>
> From: Garret Traylor <mailto:hpp at highpointpiano.com>  
>
> To: pianotech at ptg.org 
>
> Sent: Friday, December 19, 2008 6:34 AM
>
> Subject: Re: [pianotech] Baldwin Layoffs
>
>  
>
> Hummmm, I would not hold my breath for Baldwin to stay in business.  A
> customer of mine has in the past provided Baldwin with legs and lid props
> but Baldwin is not paying their bill so they will not be getting the legs.
> Does that sound like a company planning to stay in business?  BTW, I will
> offer details and pics in a few days if any of you are interested in
> purchasing them.
>
> Kindest Regards,
>
> Garret 
>
> ---
>
> Garret Traylor - President
>
> High Point Piano & Music Inc.
>
> 88-PIANO (336) 887-4266
>
> P Go Green! Print this email only when necessary. Thank you for helping
High
> Point Music be environmentally responsible.
>
>  
>
> From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On
Behalf
> Of Paul McCloud
> Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2008 11:43 PM
> To: pianotech at ptg.org
> Subject: Re: [pianotech] Baldwin Layoffs
>
>  
>
> Baldwin may have laid off some of their work force, but they're still in
> business.  They'll be at NAMM next month.
>
>  
>
> Paul McCloud
>
> San D eggo
>
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>
> Message: 2
> Date: Sat, 20 Dec 2008 15:17:06 -0800 (PST)
> From: Ryan Sowers <tunerryan at yahoo.com>
> Subject: [pianotech] Onesti Balance hole repair system
> To: pianotech at ptg.org
> Message-ID: <876931.45454.qm at web111111.mail.gq1.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> I emailed Ralph Onesti and he didn't seem to get what I was talking about
with not needing all the extra pilots. He doesn't seem to want to sell the
tool without all of them. I tried to clarify so I'll see what his response.
is. 
>
> This leads me to wonder about using the Schaff tool that I have using
David Love's method with gluing the punchings on the bottom of the keys.
The cutter I have works pretty well, its the little fiber inserts that are
a pain in the #$*!?@! That system would work much better if the inserts
were made of maple or some other hardwood. I was reading that lemon wood is
a great material for this because it is naturally lubricious. (I love that
word!). 
>
> I'm going to try making some inserts that will work with my Schaff tool
and see how that works. I'll have to see if I have a plug cutter that is
the right size. 
>
>
>
>       
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> End of pianotech Digest, Vol 2, Issue 153
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