<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2722" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I know. We've all seen 'em. But I still = am dumbfounded each time I run across a really bad one like the following:</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Went to tune a 90-year-old Schubert = microgrand today. Lady said it was hard to control the action. I told her it was = because her action had 90 years worth of wear (except for new keytops) and was = way out of regulation- likely never regulated. Brought it to my shop today for a = full action regulation and refurbishing.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The piano had been = recently refinished (no grain filling, no rub-out), restrung (no bridge work, coils half-inch = above plate, coils not tight, etc.) and most damper felts replaced (several = were orginals or used, a couple flat felts in bass, lengths very irregular, = etc). Original pinblock, no bridge work, action completely original and never regulated (key leveling looked like I-75 going into the foothills of the = Appalacian Mountains), keypins are severely rusted - key bushings are toast.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Lady told me the piano had been = "completely rebuilt" 8 years ago. It had been subject to some water damage and = their insurance paid for the "complete rebuild". And she thought it was a good = deal because the rebuilder said the replacement value was $14,000 and he was = only charging $9,000 for the rebuild. Before she told me those fees, she = asked me what had been done to the piano (after I told her the action was all = original) and what I would have charged for the work that had been done. I told = her it had been refinished, restrung and new keytops installed - that's all - =  and that if I were to do those tasks as had been done, I would charge about = $3,500. She appeared somewhat shell-shocked.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>What a ripoff. Sad.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Terry = Farrell</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>