Betsy Ross Spinet

[Richard Brekne]

Farrell wrote:

>Yeah, and we've all heard the story about the minority-race person the grew
>up in poverty with no parents, suffered from abuse, and went on to be
>happily married, get a Ph.D. and become President of some university, etc.,
>etc.
>  
>
Yeah... wasnt her name Dolly Parsons or something like that ??? Imagine 
learning to play the piano on washtub banjo ... I mean you just have to 
admire her perseverance..

>I would submit that more piano students have been stymied by playing on a
>poor instrument than have flourished after playing an Aeolian spinet for the
>first few years of study.
>  
>
You havent heard from the rest of her familiy have you ???

>This reminds me of the Frans Moore tale about a lady who exchanged her new
>Steinway for another because her piano tech told her there was a
>defect/abnormality in the plate. After not being happy with a couple
>replacements she wanted her original piano back, only to find out that a
>professional concert pianist had picked hers out from the crowd because of
>its unusually wonderful character. Sure, no doubt if a piano gets messed up
>during the manufacturing process, it could actually turn out better than
>designed - but again, for every manufacturing error effecting a benefit,
>there will be hundreds of defective pianos out there.
>  
>
I didnt know Frans knew Dolly.

>I really don't have that  much of a hang-up about cheap spinets. I likely
>have more trouble with piano owners who don't have a clue if there is any
>difference between a worn, neglected Aeolian spinet and a good condition
>Yamaha upright. There are many such people. And yes, I do try to educate -
>with some success and some failure. I don't want to burn every spinet. I
>also make money off them.
>  
>
Right... ah...what was that middle part again ?

>However, I think an important thing to consider is that for most of these
>pianos, a full regulation, replacing damper felt, key bushings, hammer
>filing, pitch raising, tuning, and a few other odds-and-ends, would cost far
>more than the piano might be worth. This is especially true when one
>realizes that there are many very good condition consoles available for
>between $500 and $1,000.
>  
>
Yes... but they arent small and cute and dont have the name of the 
nations mother.

>When I service a rat-chewed, warped, felt-hardened, 1971 Aeolian spinet with
>the back splitting off, that hasn't been tuned since the free tuning from
>the dealer when it was purchased, and find that a youngster has been taking
>lessons for three years and playing on this thing........
>  
>
Why would you service such a thing ??? just curious.

>Oh geeeezzzzzz. Now ya got me going........ Well, all for now. Gotta go tune
>Winter, Wurlitzer, and Janssen spinets today!  Cha-ching!   ;-)
>  
>
Whats it gonna be today... EPST or Spocks Best IV ?

>(Actually several Yamaha grands today - but I do have multi-spinet and
>old-upright days every now and then...)
>
>  
>
Hey.. you are moving up in the world !! You'll be a first class concert 
grand snob in no time at this pace !


>Terry Farcell
>  
>

Cheers
RicB