Unbelievable

[Marcel Carey]

I was once called by a lady that had bought a piano (almost new spinet). She
asked me if I had some piano backs for sale. I was puzzled and asked her
what she meant. She told me she had bought this piano with no back and the
saleman assured her that it wouldn't be a problem to find a back for her
piano. I just couldn't figure this out so I went to see the "thing".

Well, to my complete astonishment, the piano had all the parts except the
back. No strings, no plate, no soundboard.

How stupid can you be?

Marcel Carey, RPT, accordeur Technicien
Rock Forest  QC
(819) 564-0447
----- Original Message -----
From: Carman Gentile <cgpiano@webtv.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, May 03, 2000 2:05 AM
Subject: Unbelievable


> OK folks, hang on.. this one is TRUE!
>
>   Client called who has a 1906 Starr baby grand.
>
>   In 1995 she removed -all- the plate screws and nose bolt nuts with the
> sincere but mistaken belief that she could lift out the "harp" to clean
> the sound board.
>
>   That's what I said, she took out all 14 plate screws and all 7
> nosebolt nuts but gave up trying to lift out the plate.  Later all the
> the fasteners got _lost_. Remember, this was in 1995.
>
>   The piano has since been moved -three- times.
> That's right, this small grand with NO plate or nosebolt fasteners has
> managed to survive three moves.
>
>   So she called me a week ago to see if the parts can be replaced.  I
> said I can't make any promises and what she did was utterly unbelievable
> and unprecedented in my experience.
>
>   Today I took pictures and measurements needed to find replacement
> fasteners.  The plate is still intact; the pitch is 50 cents flat at A4.
>
>   I told her, _in writing_, that the plate could crack at any time.  But
> then again, maybe not.  This lady is now well aware of her poor
> judgement and knows her piano may not be savable.   We are pressing
> ahead anyway.
>
>   When (and if) this project is finished, I will be submitting an
> article to the Journal.
>
>  Stay tuned for follow-up.
>
> Carman Gentile RPT
> Redwood Chapter
>
>
>
>
>