Pricing: was Reshaping VS new hammers

[jolly roger]

Just a comment on the pricing of regulating and reshaping, and 20hrs plus
of labour.

Last spring I was asked to reshape, regulate, and voice a 20's vintage
Steinway O, and make some minor repairs.
Once I got started I has a few unpleasant suprises for the customer. 
1. All wippen assemblies had to come off to clean the 'tar' out of the
repitition slots and clean up the springs.
2. Half of the hammer flanges needed repinning.

Fortunately for me I had talked enough with the customer, to forewarn them
of such possibilities. And estimated between $1-2K

Time I was done with servicing the wippen assemblies,  10hrs. Clean up the
springs and slots, some centre pinning. Repair several glue joints, centre
jacks in the rep mortice, reinstall, space and travel.  Amazing how time
flies.

Well to make a long story short, the bill started to approach the $2K mark
time I was through.   I will bet the customer will just tell her friends
that i just regulated and voiced her piano.  

Things are not always what they appear.

Regards Roger