Killer Octave - Warranty Issue?

[Greg Newell]

Terry,
    It has been my experience that pointing out problems with new pianos can
leave you in hot water with both the customer and the dealer who sold it. Most
dealers don't want attention brought to the problems in a new piano because it's
simply money out of their pocket. My policy has been "damn the torpedo's ...
full speed ahead". My reputation around town with regard to the dealers is that
I am one not to be trusted. I feel that I represent the end user and thus my
policy but I can see that I might have a easier time of it if I let sleeping
dogs lie. Perhaps if the customer seems happy ... don't fix what ain't broken.
They know they didn't buy top of the line. They got what they were willing or
able to pay for. Could be seen both ways and I say it depends on your read of
the kind of customer that you are dealing with. My 2 cents anyway.

Greg

Farrell wrote:

> 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

--
Greg Newell
Greg's Piano Forté
12970 Harlon Ave.
Lakewood, Ohio 44107
216-226-3791
mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net