Hamburg vs American S & S

[stanwood]

Dennis wrote:

>Well,... this customer was thrilled (and said so in writing) until the
>dealer's technical manager scared her by saying that her B was no longer a
>"genuine Steinway", that it will wear out faster, and that I may have even
>voided her warranty. Sometimes the pianos are the easy part. In fact, this
>dealer is so concerned they have even contacted the PTG ethics committee,
>but declined to put anything in writting, of course.

Sounds like a power/macho/territorial/piss-on-the-fire-hydrant kind of a thing.
How depressing.

>The hard lesson I have learned is NEVER again work privately on new pianos,
>even when the work is agreed not under warranty. Let the dealer deal with
>'em.

I hate that word "NEVER".

Much of my work entails modifying new pianos.  I think the trick is to
discuss this with the dealer "before".  If it means "sale" instead of "no
sale" you'll find the dealer cooperative.

Any company reps out there have the "official" word regarding this kind of
scenario and their product warrenty?



            David C. Stanwood Stanwood@tiac.net
            West Tisbury, Massachusetts     USA
            On the Island of  Martha's Vineyard
        http://www.tiac.net/users/stanwood/st&co.htm

"The art in hammer making has ever been to obtain a solid,
 firm foundation, graduating in softness and elasticity toward
 the top surface, which latter has to be silky and elastic in
 order to produce a mild, soft tone for pianissimo playing, but
 with sufficient resistace back of it to permit the hard blow of
 fortissimo playing."                 - Alfred Dolge 1911