dilemma

[Richard Brekne]

Good point here Ed

We had exactly that kind of potential situation here in Bergen when I
took over. Once a year the Steinway guy would come to do his 1 day job
on our two C's and he was quick to warn me not to touch the inside of
the piano or the warranty was in jeopardy (I know I know.. but he has a
lot of folks buffaloed) So I said fine and dandy. I will just tune it
and every time something goes wrong we call you. After a very short time
I started planting thoughts that this was an unecessary and ineffective
use of too many Kroners (moolah). Within a couple years I got them to go
along with letting me take over the oldest of the two and the oldest
game in the book was on... good old competition with me holding all the
cards... except one (he was a good deal up on me with the needle)

So... what do I do ?? I call in Andre' from Amsterdam and arrange a
technical seminar for 5 western Norway technicians. The guiny pig was a
Steinway B which needed new hammers. I did a Stanwood job on the
instrument using the existing ratio, max frontweight charts, and the
appropriate SW curve, at the shop of a fellow I wanted interested in
Stanwood and one of the seminar participants. Andre' comes (I also had
wanted him interested in Stanwood at the time) and heads up the seminar
after being introduced properly to the administration... who by the way
were fully informed and prepped the whole way and purchased all the
parts, paid me extra for the labour of replacing the hammers, and very
enthusiastically told the proffessor who had the instrument to take a
long weekend so we could have his room to ourselves. I also worked in
the piano students at the school. They came in before we were to
actually start the work, check out the piano... meet the "expert"
(Andre') drink coffee.. etc.  Andre' fell in love with Heli... no wait..
grin.. And they came in after we were done on Sunday afternoon to replay
and comment and learn what they could.

All this was done very very much in view and with the participation of
the administration.. who frankly just loved the initiative and effort I
took in arranging the whole darned thing. The results were guaranteed as
I had all kinds of help, second opinion, cohorting...etc all the way
from hammer change to end. And I learned a whale of alot in a very well
executed and highly proffesional job in both voicing and holding a
seminar by Andre. Plus the fact that we were only 5 techs, on a good
instrument, with a brand new set of virgin Wurzen hammers by Renner.

After that I ventured quite a bit more confidently and boldly in
approaching the Steinway C I'd taken over... all the while underlining
and admiting to the teachers and administration my weakness in voicing,
but making it very clear I had no intentions of letting that weakness
remain. 

With in the year our Steinway tech was a song of the past and I have
full confidence of all staff and administration, and indeed a growing
portion of this fellows concert customers in town.

This is all a much longer story really... includes bringing David
Stanwood and Roger Jolly to Norway for the best ever Nordic Convention,
and much more.

But it just goes to show.... with a little bit of luck, a healty portion
of initiative, a basic talent for what you can do (no you dont need to
be a superstar), and a very large size chunk of humility always in the
back of your pocket... you can turn this exact kind of dangerous
situation entirely around into becomeing a huge plus for your own
interests.

In the end tho... you gots to do the job well enough... and that (also
in the end) is mostly determinate on you going those extra miles to make
up whatever slack you need to.

Hope this helps... not meant as patting myself on the shoulder.. just
meant as an example of what you can do if you try.

Cheers
RicB 




A440A@aol.com wrote:
> 
>    You may also have a dilemma lurking up ahead.  What can happen is that the
> outsider comes in and does his thing, and you maintain it afterwards.  Though
> the piano will be in fine shape for a bit, as soon as it begins to
> deteriorate,  the faculty will wonder why you can't keep it just like it was!
>   I have seen this before, and it tends to occur when the "Steinway voicing",
> (which is usually a heavy handed soaking of the hammers combined with needles
> for the harshest ones),  goes south.  This is a common problem I see with the
> use of soft hammers and excessive lacquer;  it sounds great for a semester or
> two, and then becomes impossible to voice.
>    The only way around it, that I see, is to pre-warn the faculty that the
> glorious sound is not very durable, regardless of who is working on it.  If the
> piano proves you wrong, they may forget you said it, but if it sounds like a
> tin can in a year, you will be on record as having had reservations.
> Good luck,  it still sounds like they don't trust you!
> 
> Ed Foote RPT
> http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html
> www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html
> 
> _______________________________________________
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