A good tech in Seattle once coined the phrase "Zombie" pianos.....They're dead, but they don't know it yet! ;>).  I've used that one and "This piano is older than most people live and the men and women who made it would be amazed that it's still around." (unless it's just a 15 -year old Young Chang G-150...:>o). PTWRPT <table width=100%> <tr valign=top> <td width=40%>"Michael Magness" <IFixPianos@yahoo.com> Sent by: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org 02/27/2008 09:07 AM <table border> <tr valign=top> <td bgcolor=white> <div align=center>Please respond to Pianotech List <pianotech@ptg.org></div></table> <td width=59%> <table width=100%> <tr valign=top> <td> <div align=right>To</div> <td>"David Nereson" <dnereson@4dv.net>, "Pianotech List" <pianotech@ptg.org> <tr valign=top> <td> <div align=right>cc</div> <td> <tr valign=top> <td> <div align=right>Subject</div> <td>Re: turning down unwanted biz</table> <table> <tr valign=top> <td> <td></table> </table> On Wed, Feb 27, 2008 at 1:56 AM, David Nereson <<a href=mailto:dnereson@4dv.net>dnereson@4dv.net</a>> wrote:     How do you tell people you don't want to work on their old beater / junker / clunker without coming off as a piano snob, especially if the person who referred you has a piano you've been tuning for years that's no better?  ("You worked on theirs, now all the sudden ours isn't good enough for ya?")     --veteran tuner, but still stymied by certain situations     --David Nereson, RPT       I developed a phrase for situations like that which I will license you to use at no charge, Look them right in the eye and tell them "What you have here is firewood masquerading as a piano!" When they then look at you and say "But can't you just....." cut them off and tell them "I am a piano technician, not a thief, therefor I sleep very well each night". Then leave. I'm in my 39th year in this business and it works for me,   Mike -- We have enough youth, how about a fountain of SMART? Michael Magness Magness Piano Service 608-786-4404 <a href=http://www.ifixpianos.com/>www.IFixPianos.com</a> email <a href=mailto:mike@ifixpianos.com>mike@ifixpianos.com</a>