<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)"> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PostalCode"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"/>  <style>  </style> </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple> <div class=Section1> Looks pretty normal to me for a 70 year old piano. Those are the joints of the wood planks, not what I would call cracks (can you fit a shim in them?).  I would treat the rim and ribs with thin CA. Go ahead and treat the pins with CA if they are marginal. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> I wouldn’t mention the cracks. If she does, explain they are normal for a piano of that age, even if there are cracks you have treated the soundboard to mitigate any negatives they would cause, you have thoroughly gone over the action and you’ll give it a full 5 year warranty. Exude confidence that the piano is fine and don’t back off your price. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Surely you can nurse any piano for 5 years. Though it should be fine for much longer. And even if disaster strikes you have two options that you should be prepared to make: refund the purchase price or replace it with a comparable piano. You should clear up that your warranty gives you the discretion of repair, replacement or refund. You should be able to replace it for less than what she is purchasing it for. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <div> Dean<o:p></o:p> <u1:PERSONNAME u2:st="on">Dean May</u1:PERSONNAME>             cell 812.239.3359 <o:p></o:p> PianoRebuilders.com   812.235.5272 <o:p></o:p> <u1:PLACE u2:st="on"><u1:CITY u2:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><u3:place u4:st="on"><u3:City u4:st="on">Terre Haute</st1:City></u3:place></u1:CITY></u3:City> <u1:STATE u2:st="on"><st1:State u5:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">IN</st1:State></u1:STATE></st1:State>  <u1:POSTALCODE u2:st="on"><st1:PostalCode u6:st="on"><st1:PostalCode w:st="on">47802</st1:PostalCode></u1:POSTALCODE></st1:PostalCode></st1:place></u1:PLACE><o:p></o:p> </div> <o:p> </o:p> <div> <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1> </div> From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of daniel <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">carlton</st1:place></st1:City> Sent: Friday, May 23, 2008 12:36 PM To: pianotech mailing list Subject: what to do, what to do...<o:p></o:p> </div> <o:p> </o:p> <div> hello list<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> a customer of mine had a piano that belonged to her recently deceased father and she wanted to give it to someone that could make some good use of it, so i took it thinking i could tune it, shape the hammers a little, do a quick regulation and sell it. it's a Bradbury #111850, ca 1933.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> <o:p> </o:p> </div> <div> i had another customer wanting to upgrade from her current piano, so i showed it to her, explaining i would clean it, service it, and tune it. we decided on a price and approximate date of deliverly.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> <o:p> </o:p> </div> <div> my main problem now is that since i moved it into my shop, hairline cracks have developed in the soundboard. you should be able to see them in the photo i've attached. now i realize that's not necessarily a big deal as far as the sound and playability of the piano, but the problem is that the potential buyer didn't know about it when she decided to purchase it, and i had no way of knowing it would do that. i'm thinking i'll just explain that the cracks only developed after sitting in my shop and i could take a little off the price. any thoughts, suggestions, ideas?<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> <o:p> </o:p> </div> <div> thanks<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> <o:p> </o:p> </div> <div> daniel <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">carlton</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> </div> </div> </body> </html>