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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Tom,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I worked for awhile for a major retail chain that
at the time carried Yamaha. In that capacity, I got to see a lot of M450's and
M500's. In my opinion, these were the best value for the customer dollar that
that retailer had to offer. With a decent tuning and mild hammer brushing, they
can sound surprisingly large and warm. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>For $50, I'd drag the M450 home by my teeth!!!
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Congratulations!!!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Robin Blankenship</FONT></DIV>
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style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=tvaktvak@sbcglobal.net href="mailto:tvaktvak@sbcglobal.net">Tom
Sivak</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, March 26, 2007 11:09
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> WARNING WILL ROBINSON!</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>List</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I just bought a Yamaha console for $50 (I think it's an M450?). It
was allegedly a practice piano at Berklee. (Is that how it's
spellt?) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I opened the lid to find a sticker placed prominently at the bass
end. It proclaims:<BR><BR>WARNING! DO NOT RAISE PITCH!
BRIDGE CRACKED OR STRINGS RUSTY OR BOTH</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>There were indeed a number of bass strings that had been replaced.
I looked at the bass bridge; it was fine. Any technician could look at
it and determine that the bridge was not cracked. (The strings, however,
were indeed rusty, and could be at least part of the problem...)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The terminology used ("pitch raise", "bridge cracked") seemed to indicate
that the person who authored the sticker had knowledge of pianos. Yet
anyone could have looked at the bass bridge of the piano and see that it was
perfect.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Who could write such a note, that is simultaneously ignorant and yet
using informed language?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The piano was 30 cents flat. I went ahead and raised the pitch
anyway.(Had to find out) </DIV>
<DIV>No strings broke, although I applied Protek to all the friction points of
the strings before attempting the pitch raise. (A trick I learned here
on the list.)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I have to say that this piano is one of the most beautiful sounding
vertical pianos I have ever heard. It's not as tall as my U1, but from
bass to treble, it's just enchanting. I am considering selling the U1
and putting this one in my teaching studio.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The case is damaged, so the $50 price tag is not totally out of
line. But I'd bet that sticker scared the bejeezus out of the
seller. I'll bet she opened the piano one day and saw that sticker and
decided to get rid of it before it exploded or crumbled to dust.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Today was a lucky day,</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Tom Sivak</DIV>
<DIV>Chicago</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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