<HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE>Re: (no subject)</TITLE> </HEAD> <BODY BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF"> Michael, Interesting dilemma! I don't know how strong is your perceived need for con= tinued referrals from your "Old Boss" but I think if I were in you= r shoes I would try to distance myself from him as quickly and quietly as po= ssible. Sooner or later the people who bought the Chickering from him will l= earn the truth of its condition and it will not be in your best interest to = be perceived as covering his rear end. "Honorable men go with honorable= men." (--Don Vito Corleone) I would tell Old Boss (not meanly, but just as a point of fact) that it's n= ow going to be HIS project to provide aftercare for the Chickering. Let him = deal with it; HE created the mess, not you. Apologize to your "good customer" but just tell them the truth as= you see it. They can decide if they think they were ripped off, and what, t= hen, to do about it. Were they misled? Did they pay more than the thing is w= orth? (I don't know-- do you?) I'm sure they'll think the better of you, as = will other people they may refer to you in the future. And NEW Boss, if (s)he is the respectable person you believe them to be, wi= ll be better served if associated with a technician (you) who is known for h= onesty, integrity, and high work standards. "Chi si corica con cani, s'alza con pulci . . ."  (--my uncl= e Louie)  ("He who lies down with dogs, rises with fleas.")<B= R> Joseph Giandalone, RPT Conway, MA   ---------- From: PnutPern@AOL.COM To: pianotech@ptg.org Subject: (no subject) Date: Mon, Jul 16, 2001, 8:38 PM <BLOCKQUOTE><TT>How should I handle this situation: I currently work for a piano rebuilder and provide tunings on my own time. =  I am starting a new job next week with a well-established and well-respected = dealer but I will continue my side tunings.  I will also continue gett= ing referrals from my current boss. My soon to be ex-employer sold a Chickering= grand with a questionable pin-block and I am stuck with tuning and servicin= g this piano.  They seem happy with it so far but it is a nightmare to t= une for the following reasons:  1)  This 1923 piano showed evidence of being doped  and ins= tead of replacing the block he re-pinned with 5 & 6 pins throughout.  2)  Sever= al base pins were shimmed with walnut veneer and epoxy making them almost impossible to = turn.  3)  He leaves his pins protruding too high from the plate = (approx. 1/2" from the plate to the coil) which causes flagpoling in the pins (= esp. in treble).  4)  At least half a dozen pins ratchet which I believe = is a result of the dope/huge pin combination.  5)  He doesn't believe in usin= g half size strings which I understand can cause inharmonicity and tuning problems. 6) =   It sits in an open sanctuary that consists of tile, glass, and concrete so = the sound just goes everywhere. I hate tuning this piano but they are a good customer of mine.  I also= don't want to get a bad reputation when another tuner comes in and finds these <B= R> problems that I never told them about.  How do I handle this without <= BR> badmouthing my old boss?  Also, who should pay for the repairs that th= is thing really should have and what can be done without replacing the block?<= BR> Thanks, Michael Crosby             &nb= sp;Atlanta, GA    </TT></BLOCKQUOTE> </BODY> </HTML>