state of the industry

[A440A@AOL.COM]

Wim writes:
>Yesterday I gave an estimate to rebuild a 1928 5' Bush & Gerts piano. This
>piano needed everything, and then some. The customer wanted to restore the
>piano because he inherited it from his great aunt. However, he understood
that
>for $11,000, which is how much the estimate was, he realized he could buy a
>new piano. 

     Hmm,  this question is just begging to be asked.  Would the new piano he
could buy for $11,000 be superior to his restored Bush and Gerts? Never mind
the sentimental value for now.
 
Wim again:
>Please, don't
>encourage customers to spend money on older pianos. Instead, encourage them
to
>buy a new piano, or a newer used piano. 

     As one that makes his living working on older pianos, I fell this is far
too broad a suggestion.  Perhaps narrowing it down to "encouraging customers
to get rid of junk and get something usable when their cheap instrument is
totally worn out"?. 
      I encourage the restoration of older instruments when the result will be
comparable with new, and I think many of the older grands have the capacity to
rebuilt several times, at least. 
Regards, 
Ed Foote