<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; "><BR><DIV><DIV>On Feb 23, 2007, at 2:34 PM, Willem Blees wrote:</DIV><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Isn't that a lot like saying, "I haven't had a fire since I moved</FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">here, so I</FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">see no need for a local fire station?"</FONT></P> </BLOCKQUOTE><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><BR></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">We have 4 D's in the school. One piano is 4 years old, I've replaced<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">one set three years ago, and another was rebuilt about 10 years ago.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">The "old" Steinway is 30 years old, with original strings, and the<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">only reason one broke is because I replace the tuning pin. If there<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">was a constant need, even once a year, to replace one or more strings<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">on these pianos, I could see having a replacement set around. It's not<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">the same as "I've hadn't needed one for ever...", as we do have a back<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">up piano for the concert hall.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></FONT></P> </BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR><DIV>I'll play devil's advocate.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>The concept of insurance is to invest a little money into a pool to cover the risk of a larger financial loss, in these examples, fire or one broken string. That way, you don't have to save enough money to rebuild your house if something happens. You don't build a firehouse for one house, you build it for a community. Having spare strings around is insurance. But paying for full sets for every model is like building a firehouse for every house.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>We have a set of strings for a D here under the cabinet. I understand they've been here since the mid 1970's. My predecessor used two out of it, just because they happened to be here. Otherwise, he usually just substituted universals on other pianos. But in over 30 years, we've needed to use two strings out of that set under the cabinet for any of our 4 Ds. That set is now up to $195. That's pretty expensive insurance for one broken string if you ask me.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>I know universals are awful. But they aren't intended for long term replacement and they're a lot less expensive to keep around for emergency situations than full sets for every piano in the inventory. That's what they're for. Then you order the string you need fresh. It will be here in two or three days. Everything will be fine.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Insurance.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>I guess when you aren't accustomed to having much budget to work with, you learn to spend it more frugally.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Jeff</DIV><BR><BR><DIV> <SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><DIV>Jeff Tanner, RPT</DIV><DIV>University of South Carolina</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"></SPAN> </DIV><BR></BODY></HTML>