CAUT rebuilding vs. contract

[Horace Greeley]

At 02:29 PM 2/8/96 -0700, you wrote:
>   In a conversation with the Director of the School of Music yesterday,
>an interesting topic came up in our discussion of what we were going to be
>able to do about pianos when we move into our new building (under
construction).   We're evidently not going to have the money to buy a "lot"
of new pianos,
>so he was asking me about rebuilding costs, mainly for practice rooms and
>teacher's studios (not piano teachers). The thought occurred to me that if
>enough money could be found to rebuild 4-6 pianos a year, could we not use
>that same money and hire another technician/rebuilder and be able to do more
>than that in a year. By rebuilding, in this case, I'm referring to plate,
>soundboard refinishing, new pinblock, dampers and action work and depending
>on money, perhaps new keyboards.
>   My question to you more experienced rebuilders, is this a reasonable
>thought?

Avery,

Having faced very much the same issues in several different locations, I
think a terraced approach, such as you suggest makes a great deal of sense.

First, it will take the immediate load off of you and whomever, to simply
have work done outside.  The level of work you suggest makes for a good
division between inside and outside service.

Second, it sounds as if you and your Dean are looking realistically at the
development of your inventory.  This makes good strategic sense.  These
days, acquisition dollars are difficult to come by.  A carefully thought
through plan for replacment/refurbishment is a must.  Steinway dealers used
to use a very good plan (developed by Ed Bezursik), which predicted various
kinds of repair/replacement strategies; probably the local dealer has a
copy.  It is time consuming, but well worth the effort if for no other
reason than it gives a music administrator numbers, charts and graphs that
will quicken the heart of the most difficult bean counter.

Third, another way in which taking your time for planning purposes now will
pay off is in the area of "and what, exactly, is the second person going to
do?"  I do not intend this glibly.  Having worked in situations where the
second position was nebulously, or improperly, defined, I can relate that my
experience as both first and second chair has been mixed.  Let me rephrase
the issue in this way - Will you get more of the real support you need for
what you really need to do by hiring a rebuilder?  Or, will your (and the
institution's) better interest be served by either a second "general"
technician and contracted out rebuilding, or by some other combination of
contracted work.  From an administrative point of view, the second
full/part-time "position" is easy to translate into additional general
technical work.  In that case, rebuilding suffers or stops all together,
while the expectation continues that "well, and what were they hired for to
begin with."

An excellent guide is the set of Guidelines developed by Tom McNeil (et al)
several years ago.  The Guild used to have copies available.  While one
could argue about certain aspects of the document, it is overall very well
thought out, and provides an official touchstone for reference to
administrators.  It seems to me that of particular value to you would be the
areas concerned with staffing formulae.  Basically, if you have x pianos in
y shape in z environment with aa expectation of performance you need...  -
Well, you get the idea.  The Guidelines present a sort of Cartesian perfect
world situation, but it works.

I don't want to burn a lot of valuable space, but this is an important, and
often ill addressed set of issues.  All of us are up against these things at
different times.

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not strongly urge you to contact Peter
Mohr (New England Classic Piano Restorations), 603-624-2077.  I have known
Peter for many years, and can recommend his work without reservation.  We
have a strong restoration program at the Colburn School (for which I am most
gratefull), which combines work performed by local technicians as well as
work done by Peter and his crew.  He has recently completed a D and a long A
for us.  Both have received rave reviews from a faculty most noted for not
noting anything.  The instruments arrived needing tuning and the normally
expected followup service, but were both in instructional use the day after
delivery.  He is working with us on other projects, each of which requires
different specifications; and he is even accomodating of some of my more old
fashioned views of forefinishing and action work.

Sorry for the length.  If I may be of any further help, please drop me a note.

Best,

Horace

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Horace Greeley, RPT                       14 Pyxie Lane
Piano Technician & Consultant             San Carlos, CA 94070-1506
The Colburn School of Performing Arts           415.592.6620
Los Angeles, CA                           horace@compadept.com
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