Suspicious and Puzzling email - HELP?!?!?

[David Ilvedson]

The idea that "For a long time it has been impossible to contact a piano technician" sounds a unbelievable.   The Santa Clara Yellow Pages has listings of many piano technicians.    He did send it personally to you though...not the typical spammer ploy.   Could be a spoof...but it does sound slightly real except for the changing the keys idea.   I think a simple, yes, but it would probably cost $20,000 to do it would end that brainstorm.   It makes you want to ask him to explain the shape of the keys in his idea.   The predictable shapes of an octave is exactly why you want it that way.   Personally, I wouldn't have anything to do with it, mainly because who has the time to waste?   BUT...for a laugh, it might be worth pursuing a little.    

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA  94044


----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: "Richard Eldon BARBER" <bassooner42 at yahoo.com>
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Received: 12/9/2006 11:08:16 PM
Subject: Suspicious and Puzzling email - HELP?!?!?


>I received the oddest email (read below).  In the back of my mind (ok
>the front) these are the spams where they send you a "cashiers check"
>drafted against the bank of bogosity.   Anyone else had the same?  

>-Rick Barber, Morgan Hill, CA
>Assoc, Santa Clara Valley Chapter

>===================

>Dear Mr. Barber,
>             For a long time it has been impossible to contact a piano
>technician.  Then suddenly two technicians  make contact at once,  one
>on the phone, one on the Net.   The first one, the one on the phone,
>was immediately arranged to do the work.  However, experience has
>indicated the advisability of having more than one man Please, let me
>keep your address in the computer, with proper label,  thus increasing
>the probability of my piano not driving me up the wall.   It might even
>be of advantage were you do drop me an Email once in a while whenever
>it would be convenient for you to service my poor old machine, do an
>evaluation, or possibly recommend a piano that might be on the market.
>             Another item:  Would you possibly know of someone who
>could change the keys on a piano? One would like to have exactly
>alternate upper and lower keys from one end to the keyboard to the
>other. There would be only two shapes for the keys.  All lower keys
>would be the same shape;  and the upper keys would all be of the same
>shape, but different from the shape of the lower keys.  It would
>probably be necessary to purchase a small inexpensive piano for the
>experiment, probably a small one. Alternatively one might modify an
>electronic keyboard, but that does not seem as easy.
>           Wishing you a Happy Holiday, grateful for your response and
>hoping you will always be "on hand", Sir,  I remain,
>                                        YMOS
>         [name deleted]