old clunkers

[Mark Graham]

I love old uprights. I have two of them in my home. But there is a time
when pianos die.

Leslie, you sound like a kind compassionate person, and your customers are
lucky to have someone who thinks of it from their side. But remember, some
bad decisions were made before you got to the house. For less than half of
what they paid to move the thing, they could have had a technician look at
it. 

I would tell them, look, pianos don't last forever, this one is near
death, and you would have to have a very good reason to put money and work
into it, like, it has Abraham Lincoln's signature on it. Then, YOU make a
decision and tell them one of two things (or both), 1) exactly how much
work and money it would take to make it work (and don't cheat yourself),
and the value of the piano when it's done, which is usually considerably
less than the repair estimate. Or 2) that you consider such work to be
not in anyone's best interest, and you will not do it.

I suppose there is a 3), which would be to hit George Bush up for a loan.

You can do this tactfully and kindly. The fact that father is handicapped
and a child would be taking lessons only reinforces the fact that some
clear decisions have to be made here. I have often worked on pianos like
this and regretted it later. Now I do not hesitate to refuse to do it, as,
I remind you, did the technician who gave them your name.

Mark Graham
Cleveland, Ohio