[pianotech] Imagine

[Keith Hamilton]

I agree wholeheartedly!

Keith Hamilton, RPT
Youngstown, OH


From: John Formsma 
Sent: Friday, November 12, 2010 8:47 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org 
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Imagine

On Thu, Nov 11, 2010 at 11:06 PM, Ron Nossaman <rnossaman at cox.net> wrote:


  I wonder about the current thread on split bridge repair. Is it worth fixing or not? If so, wouldn't you make a new bridge? It's easier than recapping in situ, and a real fix. The other options are, at best, lesser approaches. I confess, I don't understand the attitude that the piano is absolute junk, but the owner wants it fixed, and has no money, so the tech should do the shabbiest repair possible to appease a customer who has no idea what the choices made actually mean, as long as the tech can make a buck doing it. Is there no line beyond which NO is the right answer? Can't we decline to do junk repairs on junk pianos as a matter of professional pride and ethics, or are these outdated concepts when a check is to be had? I understand that we don't always have the luxury of high level choice, but shouldn't we at least try to appear to be possessed of professional standards to some degree? Or is it all just the chance to generate income, regardless of how? How does this serve either us, or our profession in the long run? I read all sorts of whining that we aren't taken seriously as true professionals, and we don't get the pay we deserve as such, followed by suggestions for repairs that anyone aspiring to professional status would, or at least should, have nothing to do with.

  Baffled, long and often,
  Ron N




Right!

I mean, wasn't this piano a Grand brand? What else is wrong and what else will go wrong with it? The Grand brand is the only piano I will not even take time to look at. When every one I've seen is in the process of falling apart, why should I assume there will be one jewel in the midst of refuse? Loose tuning pins, cracked plates, separated pinblocks ... need we frustrate ourselves with repair attempts--cheap or otherwise? Or, rather just tell the owner that it's time to take it off life support?

I say no for me. And I tell my customers no for their own benefit.

I recently looked at an older Story & Clark console (35 year-old or thereabouts). It had been neglected -- that was obvious. Hadn't been tuned in 20+ years. The repetition was poor (which was why I was called, I'm sure). At first glance, many hammer return springs were broken. I told the customer before I began tuning what it would cost to repair that. Then, as I did a two-pass pitch raise to get the thing to A440, other problems manifested. Key bushings and balance holes too tight, key bushings that really needed replaced. a bit of rust on some of the key pins. Action badly needs regulated. I ended up telling the owner that she would be better served by looking for a piano that didn't require such costly repair. Choice of sinking $1,000+ to make a piano moderately playable --into a piano that never will amount to much-- or looking for a better piano for perhaps $750 or less that doesn't require anything for basic playability? I think the answer is clear. 

-- 
JF
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