<HTML xmlns:o = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:st2 = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns:st1 = "urn:schemas:contacts"><HEAD> <META charset=US-ASCII http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1106" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"> <DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Greeetings, </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>  RE: Bald. Acro. with splitting bridge & 2 broken strings sold by dealer.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>     How did this all end up?.....Well I called the dealer, I told him the customer was pretty mellow,  about the whole thing (i also mentioned that I <EM><U><STRONG>didnt </STRONG></U></EM>emphasise the severity of the problenm <STRONG><EM><U>TO</U></EM></STRONG> the customer, but I did inform that it needs $100 worth of attention)  and then I told the dealer that I think the guy paid too much for the piano. I told him what I wanted to keep the piano going; and that +keep the piano going+ was the best I could do for $100. (Otherwise it would be a new bass bridge and strings in a Baldwin Acrosonic)...umm...Even if it was feasable who is going to pay for that?.....I dont think so.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>       THe dealer responded by telling me that the other floor piano tuner that they use had not beeen in the store for a while and that the other tuner usually looks over/goes over the used pianos when she is there. An that this Acronsonic "silpped through the cracks". </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>           He said taht they price the used pianos so that a newer item would look more appealing, and that for the price that this guy paid, he could have spent $150 more and had a Kawaii electronic piano. He said they price the used pianos like this in hopes of selling the customer something better, making them seee that if they just spend a few hundred more....</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>           Ultimately, he told me he would pay for the piano repairs, and that I could go back to the customer and tell them that the store says that the customer can return the Acro and get credit for another something new (acoustic or elec)  or keep this one and keep it going and that it would be paid for.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>    Wheeeeeyyeeew!!! Geesh... What a <FONT size=6>"</FONT><EM>choice</EM><FONT size=6>"!</FONT><FONT size=2> </FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>JUli</DIV> <DIV>PA </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>           </DIV> <DIV>  In a message dated 4/13/2006 7:48:23 AM Eastern Standard Time, VOCE88@aol.com writes:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"> <DIV> <DIV>I will see your Amen - and raise you 2 Hallelujahs!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Rich Galassini</DIV> <DIV>Cunningham Piano Co.</DIV> <DIV>(800) 394-1117</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"> <DIV class=Section1> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Adding an amen to this response,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><st2:PersonName w:st="on"><st1:GivenName w:st="on"><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Ruth</SPAN></FONT></st1:GivenName><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <st1:Sn w:st="on">Phillips</st1:Sn></SPAN></st2:PersonName><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><A title=mailto:info@alliedpiano.com href="mailto:info@alliedpiano.com">info@alliedpiano.com</A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">After reading some of your responses, I thought I would play devil's advocate for the dealers.. Yes, there are shady, disreputable dealers out there. I have had the good fortune of working for good dealers that genuinely want their customers to be happy. There have been times when these dealers have sold bad used pianos that had problems that they really did not know about. They are salesmen, not technicians. In every case, they have made good on repairs after I have brought them to their attention. The key here is to bring the problems to the attention of the dealers, NOT the customer. I have had dealers send me 150 miles to service pianos sold at a remote sale because they live in fear of tuners that just love to point out defects on their new purchases and at the very least imply that the dealer was trying to cheat them on the deal. If you KNOW your dealer is treating customers unfairly, then all bets are off and it would be in your best interest to discontinue your assoc!<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> iation with them in order to protect your own reputation. However, if it is possible that the dealer was not aware of the severity of the piano's condition, then give them the benefit of the doubt and let THEM know of the problems first.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><st2:PersonName w:st="on"><st1:GivenName w:st="on"><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Dave</SPAN></FONT></st1:GivenName><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <st1:Sn w:st="on">Bunch</st1:Sn></SPAN></st2:PersonName><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>