Date: 28 February 1995, 19:47:45 CST From: CRANE at TWSUVM To: pianotech at BYU.EDU Subject: SUPPLY HOUSES... - - The original note follows - - HI All! It seems to me (and I could be wrong) that supply houses/companies are very much like the tools I carry in my case and keep in my shop. Some are favorites and others I use only when nothing else will do the job to my satisfaction. Some are common to many of the technicians with whom I associate and some are unique to me, other technicians finding them useless or having different tools which they prefer for a given operation. Some tools I am very competent and confident with while others have a history, in my hands, of 'less than stellar' performance (of course, I assume the latter to be due to cheapness (the tool!:) or poor design or something). If I have trouble with the performance of a tool, I will either work to increase my proficiency in its use or try to find a different tool which I am able to use more easily and accurately. At this point in time, I have a *lot* of tools and I also have a *lot* of suppliers with whom I deal. I don't buy the same things from all of them but have favorite things to order from each. I just found a new pair of piano wire cutters which I am very eager to try and they are offered by a company which doesn't even cater to piano technicians. Some of my technician friends laugh at some of my tools. A few also laugh at some of my suppliers. I, however, like my tools...that's why I'm *in* this business...'cause I get to (have to ;) buy TOOLS! I *really* enjoy hearing about everyone else's favorite, and not so favorite, tools. That includes supply houses/manufacturers. Among my list of suppliers is APSCO. I used to hate the looonng turn-around time on orders I placed with them but I liked a lot of the things they offered. Then, several years ago, the turn-around time suddenly shrank to that of Schaff and other suppliers..."YEA!", I said. I have an open acount with them, as with most of my other suppliers and it seems to work well. I do, howerver, order bass strings directly from Mapes. I like their service and quality and I've had *some* bad luck with bass strings from a supply house (not APSCO) in the past. Alan Crane, RPT Wichita State University crane@twsuvm.uc.twsu.edu
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