"quality" and "condition" - formula

[Fred Sturm]

I'm going to take another stab at the quality and condition area.
Rather than try to combine the two, as I was doing a month or so ago,
I'm thinking now that we need two categories, but that "quality" should
change to "long term level of service" (I don't particularly like the
phrase, and would welcome suggestions for an alternative). The idea is
that we distinguish pianos based on what level of work (in the realm of
rebuilding/reconditioning) they will actually receive over their
lifetimes. To some extent this is constrained by what facilities and
equipment are available at the institution. And some places do more
rapid replacement, others farm out major rebuilding. So this is an
attempt to account for these differences in a way that will more
accurately predict actual workload.

Long term level of service

(0.4) Piano will receive complete rebuilding/remanufacturing, including
new soundboard and bridges, and possibly new keyboard.

(0.6) Piano will receive major rebuilding, including soundboard repair
and new pinblock.

(0.8) Piano will receive minor rebuilding, including restring with
original pinblock, complete action parts replacement.

(1.0) Piano will receive major reconditioning, including new hammers and
possibly shanks/butts, major repinning.

(1.2) Piano will receive minor reconditioning, filing hammers, rebushing
keys, regulation.

Note: pianos should be distinguished by the level of service they will
receive over their lifetimes.

Condition

(1.3) - Excellent: Piano needs regular maintenance - regulation,
tuning and voicing.
 
(1.0) - Good: Piano needs minor reconditioning - hammer filing, key
bushing, regulation, tuning, voicing.

(0.8) - Good/Fair: Piano needs major reconditioning - hammer
replacement, major action repinning, key re-bushing, regulation, tuning,
voicing.

(0.6) - Fair: Piano needs partial rebuilding - new hammers and other
action parts, restringing, regulation, tuning and voicing.

(0.4) - Fair/Poor: Piano needs major rebuilding - pin block, soundboard
repair, new strings, tuning pins, action parts, regulation, tuning and
voicing.

(0.2) - Poor: Piano needs complete rebuild/remanufacture - new
soundboard and bridges, pin block, new strings, tuning pins, action
parts, regulation, tuning and voicing.

Note: Categories Fair through Poor should only be applied to pianos that
will receive the described level of work.


	A couple comments: if the multipliers look conservative, remember that
they will be coupled - condition will be multiplied by level of long
term service. And the idea here is to predict workload over the long
haul - there's no assumption that all pianos will receive the work
dictated by their condition except over a period of years.
	As always, comments and suggestions welcome, and, indeed, begged for.
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico