[pianotech] who pays?

[Encore Pianos]

Wim, I believe that the onus is on you.  I don't know any good rebuilders
who don't at least take minimal measurements off the piano - such as first
and last strings of the monochords, first and last strings of the bichords,
etc.  Along with that come, core diameters, outer diameters,  hitch to
winding or hitch to speaking length bridge pin, speaking length, whatever.
String makers will vary in what they will ask for but all of them provide
clear instructions as to what they want.  Some will want a rubbing too.
Doing these things protects you from this kind of incident.  30 years ago I
ordered a stock set of strings for  a Steinway O?  (memory brownout here).
It was a curved bridge and I got strings for a straight bridge of same
model.  If memory serves me, I paid for the second set.  

 

I operate under the Third Corrollary of Murphy's Law, where it should always
be assumed that Murphy is a bastard, Murphy hates you, and it is personal.  

 

Should Mapes have known?  I don't have an easy answer to that.  Was Mapes
selling the strings to you as Steinway's agent or acting on their own?  

 

Providing sufficient measurements and other details places the onus on them
if there are problems, because they would have enough information to supply
you with the correct strings.  Lacking that, liability is a flip of the
coin.  

 

Will Truitt

 

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of tnrwim at aol.com
Sent: Thursday, October 18, 2012 3:32 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: [pianotech] who pays?

 

I am restrining a Steinway 1098 console piano. I called Mapes for the bass
strings, and told them I have a 1098, including the serial number. Yesterday
I'm getting ready to put the bass strings on, and they don't fit. So I
called Mapes and they said they sent out the right strings. So I sent an
e-mail to Steinway, giving them the serial number of the piano, and they
responded that the piano I have, with Queen Ann legs, has a model F scale,
not a 1098 scale. 

 

How was I supposed to know that?  Should Mapes have know that, considering
that I gave them the serial number? But the big question is. Who's going to
pay for this? It cost me $60 to send the original strings and the wrong bass
strings, back to Mapes. And I'm sure I have to pay for another set of
strings, plus shipping. Am I out of the money?  Should Mapes pay for it? Can
I charge the customer? (That I know isn't right, so I shouldn't even ask
it).  

 

Wim 

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/20121018/04c4e424/attachment.htm>