<html> <body> I agree with Terry here.  You must qualify what the results will be before starting on such a piano.  Otherwise you'll have the son-in-law come by and tell her how she was ripped-off and how it sure doesn't sound like the Steinway at church.  I have done pianos where the tuning charge exceeded the value of the piano.  I told them that it would before tuning it and they said they'd try a tuning and decide from there.  Their choice, but at least I made it their choice. Andrew At 08:43 PM 10/26/2005, you wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">Exactly William. My original post recounted several times I have resuscitated pianos that arguably should have been allow to die. I just did a elbow replacement and 200-cent-pitch-raise and tuning on a 1955 Gulbransen spinet today. After I was done she had a crappy little piano that played and was more-or-less in-tune. Her dad bought the piano new for her when she was 18 years old. I charged $475. For $475 she could have replaced that piano with a 20-year-old console that would have sounded and played significantly better than her piano. For under $2K she could have replaced that piano with a used entry-level professional-grade very-good-condition piano (like a Yamaha P-22 studio). I explained these options to her and she elected to resuscitate the spinet. I did the work with a smile on my face (especially when she handed me the check!), she was thrilled that her little buddy was breathing again, and I'm not kidding - I almost gave this grandma a big hug when I left because we had such nice chats and she was such a sweetie (didn't - just thought it wasn't right).   Anyway, fix crappy pianos? Sure! Cha-ching!!! But I think we would be remiss if we didn't educate the piano owner of the benefit/cost aspect of their decision. That's all.   Although I have run across a few pianos that I would not touch. Not because I thought I was above them, but rather because I knew that any band-aids I applied to them would still not result in a functional piano. Ya gotta draw the line somewhere.....   Terry Farrell   ----- Original Message ----- > William, who just outguessed the next person in line (me), > > Or perhaps more appropriately, who did not read what I wrote very well. > > Um, yes.  This is precisely what I was referring to when I wrote that, "All > I'm saying is give them all the options clearly, and if they still want to > pay big bucks for a mediocre instrument, I'm happy to oblige." > > I repeat, I feel strongly that we should give the the customer all the > information available, educate them on the work and the results, and in the > end if they choose to rebuild a wurlitzer spinet, great. > > And I should clarify that I mean musical interests when I refer to a clients > interests.  None of us have any way to judge all the variables that enter > into the decision to invest in a piano POS or not. > > Respectfully, > William R. Monroe > > ----- Original Message ----- >> When I was teaching at the Piano Hospital we had a customer want to have > her >> Wurlitzer spinet: restrung, refinished and rebuilt.   We wrote on the >> receipt, "work exceeds the value of the piano."   This was a keepsake and >> our opinion didn't matter.   What mattered is that her mother had given > her >> that piano when she was a child and she wanted it saved. >> >> William, who doesn't out guess the next person in line. >> >> PIANO BOUTIQUE >> William Benjamin >> >> -----Original Message----- >> I agree with all your sentiments.  However, I still cannot get past the >> results of the labor.  What do you do when a client wants to spend $1500 > to >> get their piano back in shape, and the results will be a crappy piano?  Do >> you educate them on the possiblity of a newer instrument - one that has > the >> potential, or is, a much more musical, satisfying instrument to play? > That >> is the question for me.  I recently had a client spend $800 to refurbish a >> sentimental old upright.  When it was done, it was hardly mediocre.  I >> clearly explained what she would have when the work was done - not much of > a >> piano.  Sentimentality won out.  I have no problem with that, but I do > think >> that if the client is really better served by an upgrade, we should be >> keeping them informed on both sides of the issue, rather than just selling >> work. >> >> More than once I have given up good money for repair jobs because the >> clients interests really were not best served by that approach.  All I'm >> saying is give them all the options clearly, and if they still want to pay >> big bucks for a mediocre instrument, I'm happy to oblige. >> >> Respectfully, >> William R. Monroe >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> > Gads, I can't believe this list is that biased. >> > >> > Sure most of the pianos I service are most likely candidates for the >> > landfill - BUT - if the customer is willing to pay my normal rate (which >> > is what I go by) then I'll do the work. Besides most of them also have >> > sentimental value or they just want a piano to plunk around on. >> > >> > There are a lot of churches in my area that have spinets (for choir >> > practice, etc) even for church performances, and, yes, they even have, >> > as you the list term POS's Acrosonic pianos. >> > >> > Not everyone can afford - or - even want grand pianos. >> > >> > I had a customer once, a church, that had several spinets because they >> > were easy to move around. The church happened to be a gospel church and >> > kept breaking strings on the pianos - did I care - NO - because they >> > needed them fixed and they paid me. >> > >> > Bottom line, unless the pianos are darn near falling apart and the >> > customer is willing to pay me my normal rate - I'll fix them - and >> > gladly collect my - well earned - money. >> > SNIP >> > >> > Duaine Hechler</blockquote></body> </html>