Unbelievable

[Avery Todd]

Marcel,

At 07:11 AM 05/03/00 -0400, you wrote:
>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?

    Are you referring to the customer or the salesman? :-)

Avery


>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
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >