View from the firetower, or let's end "horrible"

[Conrad Hoffsommer]

Dear kind and long suffering list,

As I have started it, perhaps it is I who should end this thread.

A little background to the initial post may be in order.  The pso in
question is one which I initially got about 6 years ago for about $25,
speculating that I could make it a better piano than it left the factory
without breaking too much of a sweat. 

After gathering sawdust for all that time, I decided that I could use it as
a teaching aid for my class. I certainly didn't want my students learning
about the internal workings of grands by playing around with one of the
"D's" or "SD-10's" around here.

As the teardown proceeded, each layer of construction revealed something I
could show as less than adequate repair.  I'm not training techs here, but
rather future teachers and performance artists who will surely be in a
position of either purchasing or recommending for purchase suitable pianos.

They now know several things to be wary of in used pianos, and will be able
to more effectively use the advise of a tech (Such as Bill or myself)
brought in to assist in evaluation of a possible purchase. 

In our chapter meetings, we usually have a period of, for want of a better
description, "war stories".  We use that time to share problems and their
solutions.  This shared knowledge helps all, whether they be beginners or
"old Guard".  At one of our recent meetings, we gathered around this pso and
saw first hand what effect certain poor repairs could have.  I don't think
anyone left with less knowledge.

As far as the pso in question is concerned:

1.      I do not know, nor do I wish to know, who may have done the work on
it. I have for a long time avoided bad-mouthing other techs. I prefer to
show good work I may have done and let others do the comparisons. This pso,
however, gave me the opportunity of "worst case scenario".

2.      Any rescaling computations done for it will not be wasted. I'm sure
it can show me as well as others what could be done with a faulty scale,
whether original or not.  Pso or not

3.      The plethora of ills, not the least being the cracked plate, have
convinced me that to just get on and do what has to be done is to convert
the rim into a flower border in my back yard.  In the meantime, it is
serving as a "horrible example and educating future consumers of _our_ services.

4.      I've gotten my money's worth from the investment. 

_________________________________________________

With regard to this conflagration:

>It's an amazing thing, this internet maillist thing.  Since I've only been
on-line about three and a half years, I suppose I'd be considered a newbie,
but in that time I've noticed a few things.
>
>The lists (not just this one) are both more tolerant than any individual a
person is likely to meet _and_ more democratic an organization (loose def.
of that word) than anyone's likely to come across. 
>
>Tolerant of divergence,  digression and the occasional disagreement.
>However, the tolerance wears thin with diatribe and attempted didactic
dictation of dialog direction.
>
>Should there be a thread which grows long, thin, repetitious or show smoke,
there will commonly be a counter to it and a possible brush fire toward the
guilty person or persons, with frequent requests to take the moribund or
objectionable thread off-list.  Occasionally, if the perpetrators don't take
the hint, the marvelous democratic majority will fight fire with napalm.
What an interesting sight that can be!
>
>I've gotten my share of scorch marks, but I use them as field trials for my
full line of flamesuits.
>

BUT LET'S END IT HERE!!
 Thank you.
 Conrad

Conrad Hoffsommer		Office - (319) 387-1204
Acoustic Keyboard Technician	hoffsoco@martin.luther.edu
Luther College 			pno2ner@salamander.com
700 College Drive			-Ignorance doesn't kill you, but it will
Decorah, Ia 52101                                   -make you sweat a lot -
Haitian proverb.