[pianotech] who pays?

[Dale Erwin]

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

Will Steinway owns the company do they not?


Dale Erwin R.P.T.
Erwin's Piano Restoration Inc.
 Mason & Hamlin/Steinway/U.S. pianos
www.Erwinspiano.com
Phone: 209-577-8397

 
  





-----Original Message-----
From: Encore Pianos <encorepianos at metrocast.net>
To: pianotech <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Thu, Oct 18, 2012 1:33 pm
Subject: Re: [pianotech] who pays?



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 


 


 
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