Junk Pianos

[Stephen Airy]

Speaking of junk pianos and practicing rebuilding
skills....
What would you think of learning on a piano like this
one:
http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/stephen_airy/vwp?.dir=/pianostuff&.dnm=RCPiano1.jpg
??
--- Z! Reinhardt <diskladame@provide.net> wrote:
> Notice that the complaining is not directed at the
> customer.  It is an attempt to understand how
> certain people can be so willing to spend so much
> money on all kinds of expensive state-of-the-art
> stuff for themselves yet cheap out in the worst way
> when it comes to their kids' interests.  The
> incongruity of the situation is enough to annoy most
> readers on this list, especially when the cheap-out
> involves what we love working on the most.
> 
> I personally think this is yet another case of an
> owner who understands and knows what to expect from
> the other material goods listed in the post, but
> hasn't a clue about how a piano should function and
> is not willing to spend the money to find out.  It's
> the same scenerio as the fancy exclusive club (or
> some other wealthy establishment) that buys only the
> cheapest piano available and expects the various
> pianists it hires to play the thing without
> complaint ... because the manager in charge of the
> thing knows nothing about and probably doesn't care
> about knowing anything concerning pianos.  The
> pianists can all be children for all they care.
> 
> Now the challenge is to convince the customer to
> upgrade to a better instrument for the kids, and
> some customers in this position can be incredibly
> stubborn for reasons we technicians have trouble
> understanding.  There's also the question of how
> best to keep the junkers out of circulation unless
> they were rebuilt into serviceable instruments.
> 
> Z! Reinhardt  RPT
> Ann Arbor  MI
> diskladame@provide.net
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
>   From: Billbrpt@AOL.COM 
>   To: pianotech@ptg.org 
>   Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2002 12:16 AM
>   Subject: Re: Junk Pianos
> 
> 
> 
> 
>     End of rant..............for now. 
> 
>     Terry Farrell
>    
>   Terry, it doesn't do any good to complain about
> this kind of situation here.  We've all seen it and
> we've all dealt with it.  If you have enough work to
> do, then just tell them the facts, the piano is not
> suitable because it is unserviceable.  Yes, you'll
> often get the look of great disappointment and
> disbelief and also not get any money either (or
> perhaps only a small service call fee). 
> 
>   You can more easily get a service call fee in such
> a situation if you spend less time fuming over and
> condemning the piano and the last tuner if you take
> the time to spell out, illustrate and demonstrate
> the facts and talk to them seriously about the
> benefits of new piano ownership.  (You may also get
> a healthy commission from a dealer if they buy based
> on your recomendation). It will outlast the SUVs and
> all the other expensive consumer goods.  It can go
> to a grandchild when that time comes.  It is salable
> and sometimes at a gain rather than loss if the kids
> just don't take to it. 
> 
>   On the other hand, there is very little which
> can't be fixed, including all of the items you
> mentioned.  During my rebuilding days, I got an
> Aeolian piano for free that was deemed worthless
> from smoke and moisture damage.  I refinished it,
> cleaned it out, repainted the plate and restrung it
> including a rescaling job.  I sold it to a dealer
> for a price that suited me and the dealer sold it to
> a customer as a "good deal".  That was in the mid
> 1080's and I still tune that piano every year.  It
> is in a nice, suburban home where they also have
> expensive stuff. 
> 
>   I don't like Aeolian pianos any more than you do
> and very rarely, you'll find one that is really too
> far gone to be worth repair.  You can practice
> restringing skills, hammer and action replacement
> skills, key leveling and other regulation on a piano
> such as this and when you get to do the same with
> some really fine instruments, you'll have good
> skills.  But just complaining about all the "junk"
> pianos out there won't get you anything. 
> 
>   Bill Bremmer RPT 
>   Madison, Wisconsin 
>   Click here: -=w w w . b i l l b r e m m e r . c o
> m =- 
> 


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