[pianotech] very old pianos

[Ron Nossaman]

> 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

It's a matter of what you have to work with. If old upright 
service makes up a significant portion of your income, you 
cheerfully work on the old uprights. If you're already faced 
with more high level concert and studio work, tuning and 
maintenance, than you can handle, you let someone else do the 
old uprights. At whatever in between work load mix you may 
find yourself, you adjust what you're willing to do to 
accommodate what you're able to do, and unless you're a big 
fan of futility and frustration, you adjust upward. It just 
doesn't make sense to abandon higher level work, if it's 
available, to do patch work on old uprights. Survive first, 
but be willing to be spoiled should the opportunity present.

Ron N