Clunker pianos - what do you do?

[Dean May]

>>Another, apparently unpopular perspective.

No, no, no. Not unpopular, just different than some. It's not a popularity
contest and I don't think there is anything close to consensus of all the
responses given. 

I think it is very interesting to see how people handle things differently.
And I definitely appreciate your perspective. 

Dean

Dean May             cell 812.239.3359 

PianoRebuilders.com   812.235.5272 

Terre Haute IN  47802

 

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Ron Nossaman
Sent: Friday, April 11, 2008 12:47 PM
To: Pianotech List
Subject: Re: Clunker pianos - what do you do?


> Andrew Anderson wrote:
> "Not a customer I wanted to have"
>  
> Not a technician I would want!
>  
> Al Guecia

Then don't call me either. I try very hard to not promise more 
than I can deliver, either with minor repairs, or major 
remanufacturing. If I consider a piano to be too far gone to 
be rendered reliably usable by the indicated repairs, I'll 
suggest they spend nothing, or as little as possible, until 
they can locate a better instrument. If they insist, and it's 
possible, I'll do a few minimal repairs to make it work well 
enough to buy them time, but it's with the full understanding 
that it's cash down a rat hole. I find the phrase "I don't 
have money to throw away, and I presume you don't either" 
tends to focus their attention fairly effectively. Very often, 
people get offended and defensive, sometimes offensive, when I 
diagnose the piano as dead. It usually takes another 20 
minutes of explanation before enough lights have gone on for 
them to understand, and they begin to realize I'm actually 
trying to help. What possible reason could a tech have to 
decline to do patch up work on an old beater, waiving the 
income that would result, unless he sincerely thought it was 
in everyone's best interest to do so? I'd personally have a 
lot less confidence in the tech who exuded optimism and 
confidence in outlining $500 worth of repairs on that piano 
the church gave away.

Another, apparently unpopular perspective.

Ron N