Emerson 1895 piano with no capstans

[jpiesik@arinc.com]

    Hi Larry,

    My advice would be, unless you love to do charity work, don't compromise
    yourself for these piano situations.  Do good work.  Charge a fair
    price.  If the customer doesn't want to pay it, move on.  Strive to be
    the best and you will eventually get the best.  This piano doesn't
    appear to be worth the effort.  If it is sentimental to the owner, then
    they would be willing to pay the piper to have it reconditioned.  If
    not, move on - "there are many fish in the sea" as my mother always told
    me.

    Regards,

    John Piesik
    San Diego Chapter PTG
    JPIESIK@ARINC.COM

Any advice on how to make this piano playable again?  It's 130 cents flat.  The
strings
that weren't replaced are PDR  (pretty rusty), there's a  shallow, 4 inch crack
in the bridge
cap at the treble end of the bass bridge ("always inspect the piano"  - Randy
Potter).
For some reason (probably Phillipine humidity) the pins are tight enough to hold
a
tuning.   I've already warned the owner that it's time to start looking  into a
cemetery plot
for it, but she really wants to use THIS piano (but she isn't interested in
spending a lot of
money on it).

Also, is there any advice on how to avoid getting calls from owners of pianos
like this??
<g>   I hate charging people good money for working on junk (although the work
is fun!).

Larry Goss in Cedar Mill, Oregon
Dues-paying PTG novitiate (officially,  "Associate", but not "member", since the
PTG
absconded with that word.  Lexicographers of common English usage are still
wondering where it went), rare attender of local guild meetings, unmotivated PTG
exam
procrastinator, authentic Klutz,  and semi-retired house husband.