If all else fails buy the piano for the $1500.00 :} David ilvedson > From: "James Grebe" <pianoman@inlink.com> > To: "pianotech mailing list" <pianotech@ptg.org> > Subject: steinway > Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 19:17:34 -0600 > Reply-to: pianotech@ptg.org > Several weeks ago I had a regular client call me about her 'M". It seems > that she was having her upstairs bathroom redone and you know what happened > and where the water went already. I restrung, repinned and various other > things to the piano before she bought it in the early '70's and have tuned > it for her ever since. She had the local Steinway dealer (the owner, not > his technician) come out before me and of course he told her the piano > should be totaled and that she should go for a new instrument with the > insurance company (s) paying the bill., the plumbers. > When I came out to look at it I made my notes and told her it should be > restrung, etc, and when I had the plate out make the decision to replace or > not replace the block depending on what the water did. The case was fairly > damaged and she said that the insurance probably would not pay for a > complete refinishing so I quoted her a figure for refinishing the stretcher > and rubbing out the rest of the case. Later her husband called me and > wanted to know why I didn't quote a price for complete refinishing and I > told him that his wife said not to. I would have referred that part out. > About a week after that she called again saying that the plumber wanted > 2 other bids so I gave her two of my competitors names. Today, the owner of > the Steinway store calls me and basically said that he had told the adjuster > that the piano was totaled and needed a new soundboard and most everything > else or it would not be a good piano again. He was talking like he wanted > me to repeat what he had told me to the adjuster., I hate that. So I called > my client and let her know what he had told me. Here was his plan. He was > calling the piano salvaged at $1500 and valuing the piano at $18,000 before > the water damage to be collected from the plumbers insurance. This piano is > an early 1920's vintage. Then the owners homeowners policy would kick in > and pay to $18,000 to get them a new M from his store. > To my knowledge the owner of the Steinway store has still not had a > technician look at this piano. The other competitor she called is on this > list. So what my question is, is this. It used to be said that Steinway > would not rebuild their own instruments older than 50. I'm thinking now > that me this was never so. If it was and is, when did that policy change?. > I wonder how piano store owners can accumulate all this much more knowledge > than technicians and come out as the ultimate authority. This whole deal is > starting to smell to me. What do you think. > James Grebe > R.P.T. of the P.T.G > pianoman@inlink.com > Creator of Handsome Hardwood Caster Cups and Practical Piano Peripherals in > St. Louis, MO > > > David Ilvedson, RPT Pacifica, CA ilvey@jps.net
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