[pianotech] Old Upright

[Matthew Todd]

That is great Mike.  That's the way it should be done, IMHO.  Especially if we realize that there are other people out there who just move tuning hammers and call themselves tuners.  And that client may wind up there, maybe paying less, but maybe not.


TODD PIANO WORKS 
Matthew Todd, Piano Technician 
(979) 248-9578
http://www.toddpianoworks.com

--- On Thu, 4/9/09, Michael Magness <IFixPianos at yahoo.com> wrote:

From: Michael Magness <IFixPianos at yahoo.com>
Subject: [pianotech] Old Upright
To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org>
Date: Thursday, April 9, 2009, 1:45 PM



Since there are 41 posts including one of mine, on the original thread I thought I'd start a new one.
 
When I am asked to refurbish, rebuild, redo, fix the felts or any of the other myriad other ways customers ask you to "fix" their grandmother's, mother's, great aunt's, etc. piano. I first try to ascertain what their expectations are, do they want a musical instrument or something that looks nice and plays OK. I then tell them it will most likely cost more than the piano could ever be sold for.
I then do a quick mental arithmetic, I eschew calculators, IMHO they help make your brain lazy, figuring everything a little high then adding in 10% for anything I missed.
I look them right in the eye and throw the number at them, if they blink, eyes widen in shock or they gasp in disbelief, I start re-assembling the piano and packing my tools.
If they don't act shocked but instead say that's a little more than they had planned on but after all it was mom, grandma, great aunt, etc. piano. I then make certain to tell them it is more than the piano is worth, again, that it could never be sold for the amount they would be spending on the work involved.
In essence I become a fast talking salesman, trying to talk them OUT of doing the work using every reason I can come up with for the particular case involved.
If they still want the work done, I will then accept the job, with a clear conscience because I know I will do the best job for them I possibly can and if I turned them down someone else would, perhaps not as conscientious and scrupulous as I am.
 

Mike
-- 
I intend to live forever. So far, so good. 
Steven Wright 


Michael Magness
Magness Piano Service
608-786-4404
www.IFixPianos.com
email mike at ifixpianos.com
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