[CAUT] Hello - and looking for piano replacement help

[Wimblees@aol.com]

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
 
Original  message
From: Rob Goodale <rrg@unlv.nevada.edu>
To:  <caut@ptg.org>
Received: Fri, 1 Apr 2005 12:16:17 -0800
Subject:  [CAUT] Hello - and looking for piano replacement help

-AND NOW FOR SERIOUS BUSINESS-
 
UNLV has a host of junky pianos suitable for use  as boat anchors.  Mostly 
Yamahas and Kawais averaging in age from about  20-30 years, (scary).  For all 
practical purposes they are no longer  maintainable, don't stay tuned, breaking 
strings, beat to death,  etc.
 
After years of persuasion and warnings I actually  have the administration 
listening and contemplating budgeting for replacing  the entire lot of them, 
(about +/- 45 units).  We have received  bids and some factory reps have visited. 
 I am now writing a detailed  report to submit next week which will express 
my findings,  recommendations, and will include close up color photographs of 
worn out piano  parts.  This is what I hope will be the final blow that will 
topple the  preverbal tower of administrative resistance.
 
We currently have a dealer loan program that  appears to have worn out it's 
usefulness.  It really needs to go away  permanently in favor of all new owned 
replacements.  I know there are  many of you out there who have had plenty of 
experience in loan  programs.  I am hoping to accumulate a few short 
testimonials from other  university techs on "why old university pianos need to be 
replaced", and  "why dealer loan programs are a bad idea".  (For those who have 
had  good loan program experiences this part is not for you).  I  am hoping for 
a couple short paragraphs from a few other  university techs that I can quote 
in my report.  Anyone  willing to contribute please forward your prose to me 
ASAP.  Be aware  that I may be required to do some minor editing, (including 
possible  shortening),  to make your words fit within the space and context of 
my  report.  Please include the name of the university.
 
Thanks for your help.
 
Rob Goodale, RPT
Las Vegas,  NV



   
Robert
 
Glad to have to on CAUT. I left Pianotech several years ago, and never  
looked back. I think you'll find CAUT a lot more interesting, and a LOT more  
helpful.
 
Concerning the loaner situation, one thing that needs to be taken into  
consideration is that this program is for the benefit of the dealer. In most  
situation, the dealer could care less about the school's needs or requirements  
They are only doing this to make money. They may ask you what pianos you want,  
but they will give you what they have, and don't pay attention to the needs of  
the school. You're stuck with pianos that are not necessarily the right one 
in a  given situation. 
 
The other thing to take into consideration is that when the market is  
saturated, the dealer will pull out. That is what happened at Alabama. The  dealer 
wanted to pull his piano out the year before I got here, but there was a  
clause in the contract that said he had give the school  3 months notice.  Since he 
didn't, he was forced to continue the loaner program for another year.  As a 
result, he was very cold to us, and unwilling to respond to my needs. When  I 
asked him if I could move a piano from one room to another he said no, that he 
 would have his own movers do it. Not only did they move the piano, he gave 
us  another one, which was brand new. And we have discussed the stability 
problems  with those.
 
He finally did remove the pianos, so the school had to scramble  to find the 
money to replace them. 4 months before the end of the semester, the  dealer 
gave me a move out date, which happened to be while I was scheduled to go  on 
vacation. When I asked him, 3 months before the move out date, to change it  by 
a week, he refused. Not only that, but we had not gotten permission to  
replace the pianos. He didn't even offer to have us buy the pianos. If it hadn't  
been for the good will of his competitor, the Steinway dealer, we would have  
been with 11 pianos for three months.  
 
The bottom line is, if you can get out from under loan program as soon  as 
possible, and buy pianos that will suit your needs, the school will be much  
better off in the long run. 
 
You may edit this as much as possible. Good luck. 
 
Wim  

Willem Blees,  RPT
Piano Tuner/Technician
School of Music
University of  Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL USA



---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/caut.php/attachments/f4/5f/e8/b6/attachment.htm

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--