Hello, all ... At 11:25 AM 8/6/98 -0700, Keith wrote: > >>...Here's a story from the "Service Call From Hell" archives... >> >>Lar > >Another classic example of where to draw the line when servicing a piano. >So often it is way too easy to take care of something other than what was >requested, expecially with all our technical know how these days. > >Thanks for the reminder, Larry, to deal with the problem(s) specified, and >not all the other stuff that so obviously needs attention as well. > >Keith McGavern -------------------------------------------------------- Keith, I can't agree. I think Larry gave excellent service. I always fix the odd noises, the misadjusted pedals, etc. It sounds to me that Larry caught it in the neck from her, but she was probably already hyper-irritable because of some bigger problem that had nothing to do with him. Also, she sounds like she knew she was on weak ground, so she got really assertive to compensate. "Buyer's Remorse" put the cherry on top ... Well, we have to work for a few of these people now and then ... Remains the possibility that he really did do something to decrease the weight, or to change the touch. What do you bet that the sticking damper cloth added a bit of weight? Maybe that gave her the immediacy she missed later. Of course it also gave her the noise she complained about. We assume that people want a piano to play dependably and smoothly. It sounds like she was the exception. Susan (P.S. I'm glad she's your customer and not mine, Lar!) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Larry Fisher wrote: >Here's a story from the "Service Call From Hell" archives. > >Warranty call on a Petrof studio, tune, exchange bench, sticky keys. > >First I unboxed a "ScrewUp" bench in their home so they would see that it >was indeed a brand new shiney never been used bench. I assembled it in >their foyer. I took the lessor expensive same type bench to the car. I >removed my shoes and proceeded to the piano. I'm presented with a short >list of problems with the piano, the author is not present. Nothing major, >squeeky "number one pedal", F fourty whatever sticks, and E the octave up >from that sticks, plus the "number two pedal" is "twangy". Pretty routine >stuff except for the descriptions. The E is the keybushings, I eased them. >The F is a capstan adjustment problem, it was too high, along with every >other capstan in the piano. I adjusted them all so that when the hammer >rail is pulled on, the hammers follow. The squeeky "number one" pedal was >the sustain pedal lifter rod groaning on every damper lifter felt ...... >teflon powder. I found the pedal pivots to squeek a bit also, so I put >ProLube on them. I also could hear some sticky noise created when a sticky >surface is vacated by the item pressed against it, as I would depress the >middle pedal. I tefloned the felt upstop pads for the middle pedal. I then >tuned it and left with me in the owner's parents good graces. > >I get a phone call. "You changed the way my piano plays. I chose this >piano because of the stiff action. Now the action is loose and sloppy. I >bought a defective piano. You made it worse." along with a few other >irritating remarks. I tried the "tightened the bench, now the piano sounds >better" scenario on her and that didn't work. I went to her house a second >time with the insistance that she be there in person to work with me closely >and uninterrupted. Upon entering the house, she insisted that I changed the >way the mute bar (the "second pedal") muffles the sound. I insisted, under >no uncertain terms, that I didn't change a thing with the way the felt drops >between the hammers and the strings. I got an agreement from her that >there's no way I increasd the thickness of the mute bar felt, and didn't >change the velocity of the hammers hitting the strings. I showed her the >adjustment of the capstans and how it prevents loss of note repeat on a soft >release. I also proved to her (much to my surprise) that on several notes, >the proper adjustment of the capstan actually increased the touch weight of >the key using gram weights. She agreed on that. Then she wanted the >capstans put back the way they were before I did anything to her piano. I >did so making sure she understood that I can't guarantee any work that goes >outside the specifications or standards of the manufacturer and that she'd >have to pay for any service call involving key failures related to this >adjustment. She agreed and I put a quarter turn too tight on each capstan. >I then showed her how on a slow release, the next strike of the note >generates possible failures. She still agreed to leave it that way but >still felt that the action still wasn't as heavy as it was before I did >anything. > >By the way, the ProLube didn't last, I had to re-lube the pedal pivots on >the second trip with engine oil. > >I now have a customer that is displeased with a "faulty piano", a brand name >she's never heard of, a piano tech that doesn't sugar coat anything, and a >dealer that has a foreign accent. I instructed her, after summarizing my >visit with her, that she needs to discuss her displeasure with the dealer. >I've done all I can for her. > >Lar > > Larry Fisher RPT -------------------------------------------------------------------- Susan Kline P.O. Box 1651 Philomath, OR 97370 skline@proaxis.com
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