Bad Student Piano Insight

[Dave Nereson]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Terry" <terry@farrellpiano.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, December 24, 2004 6:45 AM
Subject: Bad Student Piano Insight

One question remains though: why hadn't her piano teacher of six years said
anything to the parents about the piano?

Many times the teacher never sees students' pianos, and the students don't 
know it needs work, even if it's in pretty bad shape, especially if the 
teacher's piano isn't much better!

I had a similar experience this year where the Dad was willing to dump $400 
or more into reconditioning a 50-yr.-old Betsy Ross spinet [tuned 4 of those 
just this week!] that had loose tuning pins, worn hammers, and needed a set 
of elbows and the keys rebushed.  I thought, "What a waste -- why not put 
the money toward a better piano?"  But no, they want to make sure their kid 
is another Horowitz before they go out and spend even $1000 on a used 
console that's at least decent, rather than atrocious.  This from an 
upper-middle-class family with plenty of bucks for computer equipment, 
brand-new SUV, stylish home decor, exclusive home in a covenant community, 
etc.    Typical.
    --David Nereson, RPT