Fw: HELP correction

[Gregory Torres]

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In previous post there was a typo- I did not replace all keyframe. I meant to say
replaced all keybed felts. Sorry for the confusion if there was any...

Sincerely,
Greg Torres

Gregory Torres wrote:

> Les,
>
> Glad to see you posting on the list.
>
> FWIW, I have serviced 2 Beckwith uprights in the last 5 years, one was in really
> sad shape, but the other was just suffering from neglect and had moth damage to
> the key felts and needed keytops. I pitch raised from -200 cents, installed a
> set of Vagias simulated ivory tops, replaced all keyframe and filed and voiced
> the hammers and it became a very nice instrument. I guess there can always be an
> exception to the rule when it comes to certain pianos.
>
> IMHO I think that pianos should always be examined and appraised on an
> individual basis.
>
> Sincerely,
> Greg Torres
>
> Les Smith wrote:
>
> > On Thu, 4 Jun 1998, pianoman wrote:
> >
> > > > To: pianotech@ptg.org
> > > > Subject: HELP
> > > > Date: Thursday, June 04, 1998 4:01 PM
> > > >
> > > > Hi All,
> > > > Just got a call from a moving company from Kansas City, MO.  They need a
> > > > piano tech to look at a piano in Sikeston, MO to estimate worth of a
> > > > Beckweth piano.  I told her I would post it on the list and give her a
> > > call
> > > > back Fri afternoon.  Any one close or know of someone who is.
> > > > Thanks,
> > > > James Grebe
> >
> > Hi, Jim:
> >
> > This information has been repeated so many times in the past that one
> > would think that EVERYOONE knew it by now, but such is obviously not
> > the case. Except for a few higher-quality player pianos built during the
> > twenties which occasionally are marginally worth rebuilding/restoring to-
> > day, the Beckwith piano, marketed by Sears through their stores and by
> > catalog, was an extemely low-quality instrument whose target market was
> > the occasional, home-pianist who had little talent or formal training,
> > a tin ear, and--above all--neither the musical understanding, nor adequate
> > dollars, to purchase something of higher quality--which, in essence, meant
> > just about ANYTHING else. Except for one of the occasional old player
> > pianos already mentioned, Beckwith pianos--be they uprights, or grands--
> > invariably are NOT worth the time, effort and expense--for either the
> > technician, or unfortunate owner--to try to rebuild. Simply put, advise
> > your client to junk that Beckwith clunk and direct their dollars into
> > either purchasing and/or rebuilding something worthwhile. Attempts to
> > try to salvage an irredeemable junker are sure to result in disappoint-
> > ment and financial loss on the part of the owner and frustration and
> > damage to the reputation of the tech who unwisely advised the ill-fated
> > project. NO TECHNICIAN needs work that bad. No one.
> >
> > Anyone who is attracted by the dollar earning potential of rebuilding
> > pianos and aspires to be successful at it, has to learn--early on--to
> > be able to accurately and consistently differentiate piano quality. A
> > relatively small number of old, "performance-pianos" are actually worth
> > rebuilding. Most are not. Further, when it comes to so-called commercial
> > pianos--old, or new, those intended for consumption by the masses-the
> > uninformed rebuilding of such disposable, limited-lifetime instruments
> > is largely a waste of time, effort and the owners money. Lastly, there
> > are a lot of bottom-of-the-barrel pianos floating around out there which
> > have been--in essence--junkers since day one. The technician who aspires
> > to  one day do top-flight, performance-piano rebuilding work MUST learn to
> > be able to distinguish all these various quality pianos from one another.
> > Consistently.
> >
> > Just as technicians constantly work at upgrading their skills, expertise
> > and knowledge, so too should they work at upgrading the quality of the
> > instruments on which they work. Which means that if you've already been in
> > the business for a number of years, you should NOT be wasting your time
> > working on Beckwiths.. or similar-(no)quality instruments. Similarly, some
> > technician should have had the guts long ago to honestly inform the owner
> > of the Beckwith in question the true value and quality of their instru-
> > ment, and the utter financial folly involved in hauling it around the
> > country from place to place, probably in the mistaken belief that they
> > "don't build 'em like that any more". The fact is that they do and such
> > instruments are found--even today-- with names like Horugel (early
> > Samicks) and Pearl River. :(
> >
> > All of which is not to be construed as a put-down of the Beckwith piano.
> > They met a market need at the time--specifically that of untalented, un-
> > trained, musically-unsophisticated amateur pianists of limited financial
> > means and discernment, who hoped that such an instrument would add kul-
> > ture--with a capital "K"--to their mundane lives. In the end, it mattered
> > little that it didn't. Beckwith purchasers never knew the difference. On
> > the other hand, YOU--the technician--SHOULD! :)
> >
> > As i said at the beginning, the foregoing has been common knowledge for
> > the greater part of this century.
> >
> > Just one old tech's opinion, of course!
> >
> > Les Smith
> > lessmith@buffnet.net



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