Friday the 13th

[Ron Nossaman]

Yesterday was certainly an interesting one.

In the morning, I drove out to a small town Methodist church to glue the
bass side back on an 9 (?) year old model 6000 Baldwin Studio. You know the
one, 52", vertical (horizontal) hitch pins, unusual strike point
progression through the bass. No obvious damage, like they had smashed it
into anything. The bass side was just no longer glued to the back assembly.
Other than that, the piano is in terrific shape.

Their tuner had left some clamps on it, and told them it needed to come
into the shop for total disassembly and reconstruction. I had told them I'd
do it in the sanctuary. I figured about an hour and a half should do it. 

I propped the bass end up with a 4x4 underneath to get the weight off of
the front caster, and put a piece of butcher paper under the side as a drip
pan. I located the side where I wanted it, drilled screw pilot/locator
holes through the back post and into the sides. Taking the clamps off, I
wedged the side out enough to trowel in liberal quantities of Titebond with
a spatula, relocated the side with the screws and pre drilled pilot holes,
clamped the side back on to squeeze the glue in, and screwed it down. Took
off the clamps and mopped up the bulk of the glue squeeze out. Took out the
4x4 and set the piano back on the floor.

Time 45 minutes and no ugly surprises. Cleaning up the rest of the glue
inside and out, carrying tools back to the truck, and talking to the church
secretary killed another half hour, so I did ok on my original time estimate. 

During the conversation, she told me her tuner had said she'd do the work,
but the piano was really ruined and should be replaced. She had then
offered a "rebuilt" 190something Knabe for $7000, against $400 trade in on
the (ruined) Baldwin. Right! That's when she called Baldwin and got my name. 

I asked if the tuner had also pulled the action and she said yes. She
apparently hadn't mentioned anything about the missing action bracket bolt
in the treble. The secretary said she'd ask when they took her clamps back.
I suggested she have her come after them and ask about the bolt right there
at the piano. Maybe at that time she could also ask just how it is that the
piano is ruined enough to be worth only $400 too. I'd be kind of curious to
know that myself.

She asked me if I'd tune it too, so I did. 

The afternoon was much worse.



Ron N