<HTML><HTML> In a message dated 3/13/04 11:21:18 PM, tomtuner@comcast.net writes: <BLOCKQUOTE CITE STYLE="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px" TYPE="CITE"> In this case I’d tactfully attempt to find out what the selling pr= ice was. If the piano is meeting his needs and the price was low, I’d prob= ably keep my opinion to myself. </BLOCKQUOTE> He paid $4,000 for it.  He is not really happy with it.  He used= to have a Hyundai studio console, and the truth is, it sounded better than = the LaPetite.  (I'd bet the bass strings were actually longer on the H= yundai.)  He asked me if there was anything I could do to improve the = sound of the piano (beside tuning it).  I did voice the hammers along = the tenor break for a smoother transition, but talk about polishing up a tur= d... I specifically asked him if it was a new piano because it didn't look new to= me.  The bass strings had some discoloration.  The hammers had = grooves in them, but he has had the piano for at least 6 months, and althoug= h they looked pretty "groovy" for six months of playing, I thought it was wi= thin the realm of possibility.  There was no serial number on the plat= e that I could see, so I couldn't verify the age of the piano. Another unusual thing about this LaPetite:  there was a gap of at leas= t an inch between the stretcher and the plate which was shimmed with 4 piece= s of plywood at three points along the gap. I do tune two other LaPetites an= d I never noticed anything like this, and I think I would have noticed.&nbsp= ; I don't believe this was done in the factory, due to the irregular shapes= of the plywood shims.  They look like they were put in there in haste= .  You can't see them due to the design of the music desk which comple= tely covers the entire area when the piano is assembled.  Of course, being blind, he wouldn't be able to see them anyway... Any more advice on this subject? Thanks, Tom Sivak Chicago</HTML>