My first bit of bad news

Dave Doremus algiers_piano at bellsouth.net
Tue Aug 15 19:45:42 MDT 2006


On 8/15/06, Michelle Smith quoth:

>Today was my first experience with telling a customer that her very 
>pretty 100 year old Ludwig upright has major cracks in the 
>soundboard and needs serious help. 
>
>Any sympathy or miracle suggestions are welcomed.
>


Hi Michelle, no miracles except drywall screws and filler (business 
cards, veneer, whatever). I would suggest avoiding lots of glue 
unless you know you can get it down tight. Its a bear to later have 
to clean out old glue before properly attaching the rib.

Lots of sympathy though, I had to tell a nice man from the Salvation 
Army that the Baldwin spinet he had brought from the warehouse to put 
in their just rebuilt (after flooding) chapel was toast. Damndest 
thing Ive ever seen, the plate was completely split, parallel to the 
floor, along a line of 2 hitchpins just on the high side of the 
treble break. I mean completely. The treble strings had so little 
tension they were curling through the dampers, still on their, now 
floating, hitchpins. No sign at all of any external damage. Maybe a 
factory flaw in the casting or design. He was heartbroken, they were 
hoping to hold services this week for the first time since Katrina 
with music in their own chapel. Didnt have the heart to charge a 
service call, it only took me a minute to condemn the poor thing and 
sometimes you just gotta do what feels right.
-- 
----Dave


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Dave Doremus, RPT
New Orleans
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