[pianotech] very old pianos

[Jim]

Marc;

I couldn't agree more!

I was beginning to think I was outside the box because I have lots of
customers with ancient pianos . . .  granted, they're not concert quality,
but they function well, sound good, and look OK . . .  for many of my
customers, like the old blues song says . .
" if I didn't have bad luck, I'd have no luck at all . . "
If they didn't have this piano, that I keep 'alive', they wouldn't have any 
piano,
and generally are not in the wealth bracket to just pop out and get a new 
one.

Given the current state of the economy, I think we will see more and more
'repairing' and less 'replacing' in many aspects of our lives . . perhaps an 
angle we should emphasize . .
After all, how many families have something 100 years old that still works 
!!

And the way things are going, that may apply to us as well, as the boomers 
get older,
and the average BB net worth is around $50,000 . .  not a great retirement 
scenario.

On the other side of the coin, it is important to be honest with people, and 
if their
beautiful old piano is beyond repair, or not cost effective, it's ethical to 
tell them.

I had a customer with a 124 year old english familt piano that was trash 
inside, but had
a wonderful cabinet, and she wanted to keep it for more than a photo shelf.
So we put a Yamaha keyboard in it for her.
Might sound like heresy, but the customer was thrilled. ( see pix )

cheers
Jim Kinnear
www.pianoguy.com
705-446-8745



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Marc Lanthier (Piano Lanco)" <info at pianolanco.com>
To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2009 8:15 AM
Subject: Re: [pianotech] very old pianos


Here in Montreal, a very large quantity of pianos are 100 years old. I never
refuse to work on a piano unless the cost of repair is way beyond the worth
of the instrument or the budget is too limited.

I don't get it, we're piano technicians - why would you refuse to do your
job? Sure some pianos are a charm to work on and some are hell, but that's
what makes it challenging. Also, you get a good reputation and decent money
if you do good work. Just charge accordingly.



PIANO LANCO
Marc Lanthier
514-770-7438
1-877-PIANO10
info at pianolanco.com
www.pianolanco.com


-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Leslie Bartlett
Sent: January 28, 2009 10:59 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: [pianotech] very old pianos

Do any of you simply refuse to work on pianos approaching 100 years old?

When do such things cease to be pianos.......  ?
les bartlett

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