Failed string splicing -- charge for time?

[Pianoman]

Back around 20 years ago Yamaha paid me to restring the bass in a P202 or 
P22 because of recurring breakage on that piano.  It was in a university 
situation.  The scale they used was to heavy causing high string tensions 
and thus breakage.  There are probably thousands out there where they were 
never restrung and now tuners are getting the blame.
James Grebe
Since 1962
Piano Tuning & Repair
Creator of Handsome Hardwood Products(
314) 608-4137   1526 Raspberry Lane   Arnold, MO 63010
Researcher of St. Louis Theatre History
BECOME WHAT YOU BELIEVE!
www.grebepiano.com
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "AlliedPianoCraft" <AlliedPianoCraft at hotmail.com>
To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, April 19, 2008 3:38 PM
Subject: Re: Failed string splicing -- charge for time?


Dave, I must agree! You get paid to do a job. If you are not successful (for 
whatever reason) in completing that job, then how could you charge for that?

On the other hand, you have the opportunity to sell them a bass restringing 
job. One door closes and another door opens. Explain that the piano has a 
poor scale design and that they can expect the possibility of other strings 
breaking.

Al Guecia
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Porritt, David
  To: Pianotech List
  Sent: Saturday, April 19, 2008 1:58 PM
  Subject: RE: Failed string splicing -- charge for time?


  I've been reading this thread on charging for repairs-that-fail with 
interest.  I don't want to be ridged but in general I've always thought of a 
repair as a repair.i.e. it's either fixed or not fixed.  If it's not fixed 
I've not felt that I could charge the customer for not fixing it.  If I've 
had doubt about a possible fix working, I've explained it to the customer 
and left it up to them if they want to pay for an attempt at a fix.  If I'm 
confident I can fix something and I fail, then I don't charge.  I've just 
never figured out how I'd list it on the invoice.  Something like: "couldn't 
fix (whatever)...$10.00"  ?!?



  dave





  David M. Porritt, RPT

  dporritt at smu.edu



  From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On 
Behalf Of Fenton Murray
  Sent: Saturday, April 19, 2008 12:49 PM
  To: Pianotech List
  Subject: Re: Failed string splicing -- charge for time?



  Do you charge for your splicing attempts that fail? :-)

  Any repair that I consider my self an expert at I charge for, if I'm 
learning or experimenting and it fails, I might eat it.

  Fenton



    ----- Original Message ----- 

    From: John Formsma

    To: Pianotech List

    Sent: Friday, April 18, 2008 3:36 PM

    Subject: Re: Failed string splicing -- charge for time?



    On Fri, Apr 18, 2008 at 9:50 AM, Joe And Penny Goss 
<imatunr at srvinet.com> wrote:

    Hi John,

    With the concert use and distance. I would not replace the string, but 
alter the damper head to control sustain.

    I have never been able to splice a Yamaha bass string. The swedge seems 
to be too close to where the knot is,

    and the string breaks again every time. But still I try to splice.



    Joe,



    The strange thing about it was that the damper worked without needing 
any modification.



    I should have mentioned before that the splice was above the pressure 
bar. The string broke at the tuning pin.



    Do you charge for your splicing attempts that fail? :-)



    -- 
    JF