[pianotech] grey market piano's

[David Doremus]

I'd like to add one comment to this, André is dead on, I maintain a C7 
in a recording studio that fits his description exactly. But the 
critical thing I have seen too much of in New Orleans, in rather 
constant high humidity, is that often the tuning pins are borderline 
tight, and a couple of times too loose to tune. If these same pianos 
went to a highly variable environment, Boston for example, they might 
become untunable very quickly. If they were restrung and had new shanks 
and hammers they could be acceptable pianos at a reasonable price.

--Dave





André Oorebeek wrote:
>
> If we look critically at these instruments I would say that their 
> weakness is in the bass strings and the hammers.
> The bass strings are often dull and the hammers look nice but are old(er).
> The one who pays for the re-conditioning process is responsible for 
> the end quality, not the repair factory as they do what they are told 
> to do and often for a price which is very low.
>