This is where we differ. I take this kind of project in stride and accept the job. However, I - ALWAYS - have the customers consent and understanding that this is only a partial job and, as such, can not guarantee the outcome of having a descent piano afterwards. That way I get paid for a job and they get what they asked for - with the understanding that it's not really complete and not up to the "standard" repairs. Case in point, I got a job where the piano action was from a piano that had been in a very dry environment for many years and did not have a lot to put into it. That being said, I got the piano action home and the more I would work with it, the more parts kept breaking - flanges at the screw holes, damper heads popping off, jacks kept popping loose, etc. I basically reglued parts as I went along and at the end charged them for the hours. When I started to put the action in, they mentioned seeing all the glue joints. I said, thats all the places where the parts would break and I had to reglue them together. Then reminded them that that is what they asked for and that the proper way would have been to replace the parts. They agreed and said, again, we didn't have that kind of money for that. Also, that so many parts were glued that the was not guarantee on when something else might break. Bottom line, they were happy and I was happy with the job - with what parameters they gave me to work with. Duaine > > Hi Chuck, > > I believe you said, much more eloquently than I did, what I was trying > to say in my post of a week or so ago. > I have been immersed in my own little drama here trying to get a grand > piano action done while dealing with a pinched nerve in my neck > causing pain and numbness in my left arm, so I'm coming in on this a > little late. > I believe our approach is very similar with the exception of me trying > my best to talk them out of doing it until I am certain they are > determined to have it done. > My feeling is if they only want a partial restoration, I'll take a > pass or of they aren't truly sincere about committing to it I'd rather > not be involved. > Once they've passed those "tests" so to speak, I'm then wholly > committed to the job. > > Mike > -- > I intend to live forever. So far, so good. > Steven Wright > > > Michael Magness > Magness Piano Service > 608-786-4404 > www.IFixPianos.com <http://www.IFixPianos.com> > email mike at ifixpianos.com <mailto:mike at ifixpianos.com> -- Duaine Hechler Piano, Player Piano, Pump Organ Tuning, Servicing & Rebuilding Reed Organ Society Member Florissant, MO 63034 (314) 838-5587 dahechler at att.net www.hechlerpianoandorgan.com -- Home & Business user of Linux - 10 years
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