Dissatisfied piano owner. (I didn't know they existed)

[Farrell]

Alan, I think your comments are spot-on! How rare is it to have a customer that actually has any sense that his/her piano is ...... well....... less than stellar?

Most think that a piano is a piano is a piano. And as long as you get that piano-like sound (however divergent that interpretation may be) when you whack the key, no troubles mate!

But a piano owner that can criticize a less-than-stellar piano? Oooooooo Baby! I want 'em! Too few and far between.

Yes, it may well be that this piano owner may well need a higher quality instrument to meet his/her needs/interests.

Wow, in my dreams.....  ;-)

Terry Farrell
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  Why take it personally?
  The lady bought a pretty piece of furniture instead of a musical instrument (as buyers almost always do) and wanted something not too expensive (as buyers almost always do), and got a so-so piano with so-so regulation from the furniture dealer (sorry, that's usually the case and, NO, he isn't going to pay you to prep Pearl River pianos on the floor) and then she's unreasonable, rude, and impatient.

  How is any of that YOUR fault or YOUR problem?

  Question for the world at large: Am I being overly cynical or just honest?

  Alan Barnard

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  Original message


  I just had an experience that shook my confidence a little. 

  The piano is a new Pearl River GP142 that was delivered just after Thanksgiving 2006. Basic warranty tuning. Pulled it to pitch, tuned it, then started to check everything out. The owner mentioned that the dampers were making noise when she pressed the damper pedal...whooshing pedals. 
  There were also a handful of hammers that were "double striking." 

  I've only regulated 3 or 4 pianos in my 7 years of piano service, so I didn't want to start regulating when I didn't know the specs, and I didn't feel comfortable cutting damper felt without getting an ok from PR. I called and left a message with the person who I guess is the head tech at PR; told him I needed regulation specs, and that I had a problem with whooshing dampers. It's now been 10 days with no reply. I rescheduled an appointment for today to do something about the dampers and the bobbling hammers. 

  Well, I forgot today is President's Day, and Pearl River is closed. So I called the lady to reshedule. I explained the situation and that I didn't want to start doing any damper stuff w/out approval, etc, etc. She got pretty bothered. 
  Said she didn't have the time in her schedule to have me come over and spend 3 or 4 hours working on her piano, and that she's always had pianos and never had anything like this happen. Now she wants to trade it in and get another one. 

  I didn't know how to handle the situation.
  All I knew to tell was to talk to the manager at the store.

  I think I need to start prepping these pianos when they get to the store. It was just never discussed.

  Daniel Carlton
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