Betsy Ross pianos

[Clyde Hollinger]

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Well now, Tom and Roy, aren't you both going a little too far?  On the
one hand, surely the Betsy Ross isn't a good piano, but it certainly
isn't a toy, and while I know some people have these things even though
they could easily afford something better, there are others who have
them because it is the best they can afford.  Some may disagree with me,
but I think a low quality piano is better than no piano at all.  (And I
am a "respectful technician.")

On the other hand, "congratulate them on the finest purchase they've
ever made"?  How can one justify that?  There's got to be a middle road
somewhere.  Let's find it.

Regards, Clyde

Tom Driscoll wrote:

>
>
>      ----- Original Message -----
>      From: RCzekay@AOL.COM
>      To: pianotech@ptg.org
>      Sent: Monday, September 03, 2001 6:43 PM
>      Subject: Re: Betsy Ross pianos
>       Well put Terry,
>
>      The Betsy Ross was nothing more than a toy piano, and why
>      any respectful
>      technician would even give a second thought to replacing
>      plastic flanges, and
>      taking the customers money, when the end result will still
>      be a piano that
>      plays and sounds like a toy, is beyond me. But of course,
>      the customer is
>      always right, right? It would be doing the customer a big
>      favor to try to
>      educate him, and to try to improve his taste in music, by
>      purchasing a piano
>      that really is one.
>
>      Roy Czekay
>      Milwaukee, WI     Roy,      I happen to be a respectful
>      technician who would love to service only finer pianos, but
>      when presented  with one of these piano's purchased in 1955
>      at great sacrifice to provide a musical education for the
>      kids now lovingly polished and played at christmas with
>      lousy bass tone, false beats and yes broken elbows, I'm
>      going to  congratulate them on the finest purchase they've
>      ever made and replace those elbows at a fair price. If it
>      can't be serviced , I'll be direct and walk away I let them
>      know this is not a fine piano  and  won't talk about
>      restringing, new hammers , or any other work that exceeds
>      the piano's value and will always encourage upgrades when
>      the situation warrants.    I'm almost 30 years in and  next
>      to the Steinway action on the bench , I don't mind seeing a
>      Lester or a Janssen ( Just no Kincaids - I'm not a masochist
>      )    Tom Driscoll
>

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