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<DIV>List</DIV>
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<DIV>Probably the most disgusting thing I've ever seen in my ten years as a
technician, I saw today. The piano was in a hotel. I was asked to
tune the piano in the ballroom and then give them an estimate on repairs
for the one in the basement. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Tuned the grand in the ballroom. Went downstairs to find a Kawai
grand with some case damage. Opened the keycover and played a few notes and the
bass sounded pretty nice, out of tune, but nice. Playing
chromatically up from the bass, I found a couple of notes in the midrange
with unisons that were minor seconds. Then in octave five, all hell broke
loose, with some unisons having a string a fifth lower, and such. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>So I took the music desk out and when I looked inside, there it was.
Somebody had thrown up all over the tuning pins in the octave 5/octave 6
register . AND NO ONE HAD EVEN TRIED TO CLEAN IT UP. There
were chunks of...and...I can't even tell you the color of...and the pins were
coated in rust and...it was still an inch deep in places and...it was probably
about a week old, I'd guess, just from the amount of rust and moisture content
of the...</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I gotta stop right there. It makes me wonder, though. I mean,
the guy who did this couldn't turn his head to the side and puke on the
floor? He had to puke IN the piano? </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I picture some dedicated lounge pianist, feeling a bit ill, but determined
to finish the set. "Must...finish...gig...only 8 bars left to PROUD
MARY.....bbblllluuuUUHHHHHGHHHH!!!!"</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Now, if anyone is still reading this disgusting post, I do have an actual
serious question I'd like to ask. I gave them an estimate on a new
pinblock and strings and they said they would buy an electronic keyboard
instead. I said if they were going to get rid of the piano, I'd like to
make a bid on it. She asked, how much?<BR><BR>The piano is only about
10-15 years old. I don't have the model number, but it's a Kawai grand,
about 5' 6", black polyester, needs new pinblock and strings, some pretty
extensive case damage (Lid hinge broken off, BIG scrapes on side, polyester
cracked open to the bare wood in several spots) but it seems like the action is
fine, and the tone was quite nice. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Considering the condition of the piano, what is a legitimate offer to buy
the piano as is? And if I were to repair the piano to showroom condition
(new strings, pinblock, case repaired, etc.) what do you think I could get for
it. It's less than 15 years old. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Thanks for reading, and for any input you might have for me,</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Tom Sivak</DIV>
<DIV>Chicago</DIV></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>