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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>"Has *anyone* drawn up any guidelines =
as to the
average service life of a hammer or damper felt?"</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Again, car analogy, however, in this =
case we need
to specify race car. Your run-or-the-mill Chevy Impala (or just about =
any other
car) is utilitarian in nature. You need to change oil, fan belts, =
brakes, hoses,
alternators, batteries, etc. either to prevent <EM>failure</EM>, or =
after the
thing <EM>fails. </EM>On a race car, we change tires, shocks, pistons, =
valves,
transmissions not so much to prevent failure, but rather to achieve =
the
performance characteristics we are looking for.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The piano that sits unused most of the =
year and
only rings out a tune when uncle Fred drops into town at =
Christmas and
kicks out a Christmas carol is a utilitarian piano, much like the =
Impala.
However, many, if not most, pianos are performance instruments - the =
players are
trying to play well - they are trying to improve. So, the life of a =
hammer or
damper is more based on whether it is meeting your performance needs, =
rather
that whether its life span is up. And that is going to vary =
drastically
from pianist to pianist.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Maybe the best thing to do is have this =
piano owner
play a good performing new piano and then ask her how much she is really =
attached to her original antique hammers. If she can't put two-and-two =
together,
then perhaps it doesn't matter.</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"><B>From:</B>
<A title=sarah@graphic-fusion.com =
href="mailto:sarah@graphic-fusion.com">Sarah
Fox</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> Tuesday, November 16, =
2004 9:45
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: How do we tell =
customers
that the work done on theirpianosstinks?</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi Terry et al,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Duh! I hadn't considered the =
antique car
analogy. And yes, you refine the argument well regarding hard =
parts vs.
soft parts. I would modify the argument to "wear-and-tear" parts =
and
"non-wear-and-tear" parts. Wear-and-tear parts are, by =
definition,
intended to be replaced. They are expendable, like tires, belts, =
and
hoses in a car -- or electric brushes in motors -- or needles on
Victrolas -- or tubes in radios -- or paint on an old, Victorian =
house.
Without the "wear and tear" parts being replaced as needed, the =
antique
becomes nonfunctional and therefore less valuable.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Automobiles come with a =
manufacturer's
recommended maintenance schedule -- i.e. when to change belts, hoses,
etc. How about pianos? Has *anyone* drawn up any =
guidelines as to
the average service life of a hammer or damper felt? (If so, I'm =
sure
it's less than 100 years. This piano is 99 years =
old.)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Anyway, my friend and I will be =
sending the piano
off to said young musician before too long. It will come with
my minimal recommendation for a set of Ray's hammers, =
dampers,
several new bass strings, a DC system, and CA'ing of several =
problem
tuning pins. I also want to recommend a technician in her area =
-- Los
Angeles. (Sorry it's on the other side of the country, =
Terry!!) I
would do this work myself, except that I refuse to touch the piano =
again,
after she got her nose in the air that the last tuning wasn't =
done by a
*professional*. (I thought the tuning was pretty good. The =
Suzuki
violin teachers agreed, as it was their favorite in-home piano for
accompanying the children during lessons and recitals. Ah =
well...)
Anyway, who would y'all recommend in the Los Angeles area for this
piano?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Peace,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Sarah</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>PS Sentimental value really *is* =
worth something
with this piano. It's the piano on which she =
learned (second
instrument) and started composing. She's bonded with it. =
It's a
karma thing to her, which is understandable.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com
href="mailto:mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com">Farrell</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> Tuesday, November 16, =
2004 7:02
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: How do we tell =
customers
that the work done on theirpianosstinks?</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I run into this quite often. I use =
the car
analogy to describe how pianos wear out. I also point out how pianos =
differ
from antique cars that are "all original". The reasons a
restored 1962 Corvette with all original parts and matching =
serial
numbers is worth anything is because there are not any cars made =
like them
anymore and mostly because there are many car clubs around where =
folks get
together and show off their cars, etc., etc.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>A 1902 or a 1962 or a 2002 Steinway =
or
Bechstein or whatever uprights or grands don't look a whole lot =
different
from one another. There are no piano clubs/magazines, etc. that =
attracts
antique piano collectors, etc. An antique piano has no intrinsic =
value. The
only way an "antique" piano has any value is usually if Harry Truman =
or
Glenn Gould owned it, or maybe if it is very unusual in some unique
way.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Then give them an appraisal of
the wholesale value of their piano: less than zero. Give them a =
retail
value of their piano: zero to $500 depending on cosmetics (does it =
have all
the keytops) and whether all the keys work.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>That usually does it. If they still =
don't
believe you, then perhaps they just need to hear the same thing from =
another
qualified technician.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Now you need to focus on these =
original parts -
parts replacement. The "all original" restored 1962 Corvette has all =
its
original metal and fiberglass parts (not even that actually - it =
could have
a new alternator, etc., etc. - just the original "type") but all the =
SOFT/ORGANIC parts have been replaced with new. The seat covers and =
radiator
hoses and brake lines are all new - they were not made by Chevrolet. =
The
piano is the same way. The "hard parts", i.e. the parts that don't =
wear out
or deteriorate on their own can stay - the case, plate, frame, =
keybed, etc.
But the SOFT/ORGANIC parts that wear need to be replaced if you want =
it to
look/perform like new - hammers, action parts, strings (not soft or =
organic,
but you can replace with original type), soundboard
and whatever.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Only for a museum restoration is =
there any
reason to try and preserve everything in its original state. But =
keep in
mind that is done for historical preservation only - not to make =
something
work for everyday use.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>If that doesn't work. Walk away - =
its
hopeless!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>BTW, IMHO those old Knabes are =
among the
finest, if not the finest, uprights ever built - premium
remanufacturing stock! Ya might even want to tell her you know =
someone in
the business....... ;-)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Terry Farrell</FONT></DIV>
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