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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I must admit Joey, that I made a mental assumption
that you bid the job for some horrifically low number. Shame on me, good for
you. That IS amazing that she even wanted to sleep on it. Let's hope she sees
the obvious!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Terry Farrell</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=arial size=2>At least you confirmed my numbers were in
line. I told her 3000 for the stringing and hammers and associated pitch
raise. I told her there would likely be more charges at that point
aftere we found out what regulation and voicing needed to be
accomplished. I also told her at that point she would have a piano
worth $400 (at best) and could buy a brand new comparable piano for
around $2500.00. So at least we agree on the numbers. I was
amazed that she wanted to do the work. <BR><BR>I must report that she
said she "thought" she wanted to have it fixed, but was going to sleep on it
before making a decision. She hasn't called back so
far...<BR><BR></FONT><FONT face="Tahoma, Arial, Sans-Serif" size=2>
<HR align=center width="100%" SIZE=2>
<B>From</B>: "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I've also been reading this thread with some
wonder. Just a quick tally of proposed fees for the minimum this piano would
need - complete restringing, new hammers, damper felt and action &
damper regulation, I come up with $2,800, which doesn't include running back
and forth to this guy's house, etc.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I gotta admit, I'm very curious what the "just
high enough" bid was and what the proposed tasks were. I'm also curious what
the suggested new and used comparable piano prices given were. I mean, you
can't even buy a piano that bad anymore - can you? They don't make GRAND
pianos anymore - do they? A new comparable piano - if there were such a
beast - might be $2K (just thinking that you can pick up some trashy little
thing today for about $2.5K)? And used - wholesale - zero; private retail -
$200 - $600; dealer retail - $1K - $1,300?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Only once have I refused to work on a piano when
the owner really wanted to do the/some work. Almost always I can educate the
owner toward some better options. Of course, when there is significant
sentimental value to the piano, all common sense goes out the window - I know
that and I can work with that. But that is reportedly not the case here.
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>If a reputable piano tech can't make the owner
see the light in a situation like this, then........</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>$2,800 just to end up with a crappy little piano?
No, I would walk from this one - I would fear my reputation suffering. For
$2,800 the person could go to a dealer and buy an excellent condition Yamaha
P-22. With some legwork, they could find a decent U-1 or U-3 in a private
sale. For less than that cost they could find a later model
good condition American studio piano. When pianos like the aforementioned are
available at a similar or less cost, it makes NO sense whatsoever to sink that
kind of money into a low-end spinet.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Even if all the work needed cost $500 - even if
it were $200, I would still try to talk the owner into
replacement.....</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Just my rant worth.....</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Terry Farrell</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><SPAN
class=988395507><FONT face=Arial>Jeez, on an Aeolian spinet, I would
think the money would be better spent toward a better
piano.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=988395507> <FONT face=Arial>--David
Nereson, RPT</FONT> </SPAN></DIV>
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<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR></FONT><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff><SPAN class=703550221>"Mamma said there be days like
this."</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff><SPAN
class=703550221></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff><SPAN
class=703550221>This morning I woke up to a terrible rain storm. My
first piano of the day was a new customer only 10 miles away who told me
she had an upright piano that just needed a "tuning".</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff><SPAN
class=703550221></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff><SPAN
class=703550221>I arrived to find a 1975 Henry F. Miller Spinet. It
didn't look too bad from the outside. Then I opened it up. the
felt on every single hammer is seperating from the hammers. I
counted 24 bass strings broken, and 26 treble strings.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff><SPAN
class=703550221></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff><SPAN
class=703550221>I showed her what it looked like on the inside and she
asked me if it was worth fixing. I told her that she was the only
one who could decide that. I gave her a price for re-stringing, and
replacing all the hammers and a good cleaning. I explained to her
what a comperable piano would cost her to purchase new and used. I
bid the job high enough (but fair for the amount of work that needs to be
done) and figured that no sane person would want to put that kind of money
into this piano. She wants it fixed!
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff><SPAN
class=703550221></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff><SPAN class=703550221>I usually just
lurk here and glean all the knowlege I can from you fine folks, but my new
year's resolution is to participate more in the list. I thought this
gem of a piano was worth sharing. I'm just glad all it needed was a
good tuning! I don't think I could stand it if it needed some
serious work done!</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff><SPAN
class=703550221></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff><SPAN
class=703550221>Joey</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff><SPAN class=703550221>On Key
Piano</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff><SPAN class=703550221>Plains,
GA</SPAN></FONT></DIV><A href="http://www.livingwaters.com/learn/"
target=_blank></A></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>