[pianotech] Spinets - was Elbows

[Joseph Garrett]

Terry the Farrell said: "If I were to do that scope of work, I'd easily
double that fee (mid-west prices). And most any spinet owner would be
ill-advised to put that much $$ into their little spinet."

Terry,
Please tell me what would you advise someone to do with that $500.00? Buy
another piano, of dubious ilk, that probably needs more work? Or...perhaps
use it as a down payment on a Chinese POS???!! Hmmm? which one? that is a
puzzlement. a piano made with particle board/select hardwood and bad
workmenship? Or...a slightly old piano, made with real solid core panels,
that Gramma paid hard earned cash for? Which would be of more value to the
client? Which would give good service?
I can say that I have replaced wippen flanges, damper levers, jacks and
flanges, hammer butt flanges and elbows on the same piano. I replaced with
WOOD! That was 30 years ago and it's still going strong. Musically? Well,
it ain't no "concert pianer" but it's the one that the client wants and
loves! I have many such, that I've done. Without regret on both sides of
the fence.
You call yourself a Woodworker. Well, which is better: Wood? Plastic? MDF
HDF LDF? Select Hardwood of dubious ilk, with the strength of balsa? And
then there are the poorly made actions. Don't even get me started on that.
If you've ever worked on the newer pianos, you'd know the answers to my
questions. The Spinet has been getting a bad rap for waaaayyy to damned
long and I'm sick of hearing it! It's what puts the spuds on the table of a
lot of beginning technicians. I include myself and I suspect you too, Terry.
Joe 


Joe Garrett, R.P.T.
Captain of the Tool Police
Squares R I