Killer Octave - Warranty Issue?

[Tom Servinsky]

Terry
Serial# GJ60135, built in 1998, Black High Gloss Kohler & Campbell/Samick
grand.  I hope it's not the same we sent back.
I have seen several of these to date and there's no question it's a design
flaw...and quite frankly Samick knows that as well. Stand tall on your
position if in fact the measurements show problems is in the board.
I think Samick was banking on selling these pianos to (not only) people who
don't play the piano, but also don't get them service by knowledgeable
technicians.
Personally they would have been better off by adding no strings or action,
and put a small CD player inside with piano music.
Tom Servinsky,RPT
----- Original Message -----
From: "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, September 08, 2001 9:11 AM
Subject: Re: Killer Octave - Warranty Issue?


> I forgot to say "THANKS" to Roger and Tom. I will get back to this piano
and
> take a closer look at downbearing and crown and see just exactly what we
> have (or don't have) here. I would love to get the serial number from your
> piano Tom - got it?
>
> Terry Farrell
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Saturday, September 08, 2001 8:14 AM
> Subject: Re: Killer Octave - Warranty Issue?
>
>
> > OMG! Is that possible! Maybe - the guy picked it up a the local
> > Steinway/University sale - you know, the place where they try to dump
off
> > misfit odds & ends like this at inflated prices (how else do you think
> they
> > pay for renting the university and moving 4,386 pianos - some of them
> > twice!). I lost my mind and neglected to write down the serial number of
> the
> > piano - but obviously I can get it. Do you have the serial number of the
> > piano you had seen?
> >
> > Oh, wouldn't that be a sad, sad story?
> >
> > You are in Florida? Where abouts?
> >
> > Terry Farrell
> > Tampa, Florida
> >
> > P.S. My original piano, a 1995 1098, I exchanged for a Boston grand
(from
> > the same place), because of pinblock/frame separation (they routed in a
> > patch - did not fix it), inverted soundboard crown, false beats, etc. -
> all
> > problems still there - as I saw the piano just a couple months ago,
still
> on
> > the showroom floor and priced at $16,000 (Brand-new! Hand-built by
> > master-craftsmen!)!
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Tom Servinsky" <tompiano@gate.net>
> > To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> > Sent: Saturday, September 08, 2001 7:30 AM
> > Subject: Re: Killer Octave - Warranty Issue?
> >
> >
> > > Terry,
> > > This sound like the same piano a customer of mine, which purchased it
> from
> > > your local dealer, which was sent back to your local dealer, and I bet
> was
> > > resold without having any work done to it. The exact same problems
were
> > > noted and the manufacturer and local dealer agreed to take the piano
> back
> > > but what happened to that piano since then I have no idea.  Now I
> realize
> > > this would be strectch if it were THE SAME PIANO, but stranger things
> have
> > > happened.
> > > Anyhow I did determined that it was a board problem as there was no
> crown
> > in
> > > the killer octave nor was there bearing. The manufacturer was more
than
> > > agreeable to exchange the piano and from the sounds of the
conversation,
> > > this was not the first hazard they had fielded on this  model.
> > > Contact the manufacturer directly and you'll be friend of that client
> for
> > > life.
> > > Tom Servinsky,RPT
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com>
> > > To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> > > Sent: Friday, September 07, 2001 6:57 PM
> > > Subject: Killer Octave - Warranty Issue?
> > >
> > >
> > > > Tuned a real beauty this afternoon - 3 year old Kohler & Campbell 4'
> 6"
> > > > grand (or....not so grand as the case may be). I had to take a
> > double-take
> > > > at the thing when I first walked in the house - I thought it might
be
> > one
> > > of
> > > > those 2-foot deep fake-grand digital pianos. But NO, I opened the
lid
> > and
> > > > low and behold, there were a couple hundred strings in there.
> > > >
> > > > I pointed out the prominent false beats in the top two octaves to
the
> > > owner.
> > > > He agreed that was a problem, and plans to contact the dealer
> regarding
> > a
> > > > warranty fix.
> > > >
> > > > Running up and down the keyboard, this piano has a VERY prominent
> killer
> > > > octave area. It is about an octave in size and is centered in the
> treble
> > > > section (second from the top out of four sections). Volume just
drops
> > way,
> > > > way down. One of the worst examples of a killer octave area that I
> have
> > > > heard. It is really, really prominent. Plucking strings indicates
the
> > same
> > > > prominent killer octave area.
> > > >
> > > > I have not tried voicing or anything else. But I strongly suspect
that
> > > there
> > > > is nothing that has caused just the dozen or so hammers in that area
> to
> > go
> > > > mush. I strongly suspect this is a soundboard/bridge problem.
> > > >
> > > > The owner is a intermediate piano player at best. He has not said
> > anything
> > > > about it to me. This killer octave thing to me is real, but its
cause
> is
> > a
> > > > bit fuzzy, because I have never fixed one. What is the consensus
> here -
> > > > should I point it out to the owner and suggest he may want to
initiate
> a
> > > > warranty claim (let 'em voice it six times and replace strings, etc.
> > > before
> > > > you insist on a new soundboard/piano)? It seems extreme to me, but
> with
> > > what
> > > > I know now about pianos, and if I had bought the piano, I sure as
$#%&
> > > would
> > > > want it fixed! I know it is a junk piano, but it should at least
start
> > out
> > > > consistent across the whole keyboard. The tenor/bass break is OK
> > > tone-wise -
> > > > I would not expect more - it is on a par with other junk like this -
> > maybe
> > > > even near the top of the heap! - but a whole dead octave seems way
> less
> > > than
> > > > par to me. Is this elusive killer octave a warranty issue?
> > > >
> > > > Waddaya think?
> > > >
> > > > Terry Farrell
> > > >
> > >
> >
>