cheated customer. was Re: Whitney spinet

[Ted Simmons]

Hi Willem,
  My conscience has bothered me over this since a string did not break.
However, I think I did the prudent thing under the circumstances. The point
was to avoid tuning above pitch by any amount.  After the 4th tuning the
piano ended right on A-440 and sounded pretty good for a Whitney.  The
piano hadn't been tuned for 20 years and really sounded horrible.  I think
I would do the same if the occasion arises again.  However, I'll be sure to
explain things better to the customer. Thanks for the critique Willem.  I
can take the heat without a flame suit.

Ted Simmons

>In a message dated 98-11-21 20:37:28 EST, you write:
>
><< My first appointment this morning was with a Whitney spinet that was 100
> > cents flat.  Normally I would charge 2 pitch raises and a final tuning, but
> > I noticed that there were no bridle straps so I charged an extra pitch
> > raise; in other words, I went over it 4 times instead of 3.  I feel
> > justified in this because of the lack of bridle straps.  I certainly didn't
> > want to be faced with a broken string on this piano if I could help it.
> > Anyhow, as it turned out there were no broken strings and the piano ended
> > up right at A-440 and sounded pretty good.  My question is -- if a string
> > had broken and required removal of the action how would I accomplish this
> > without all of the jacks dropping down beneath the butts?  Second question:
> > should I have run as fast as I could from this piano?
> >
> > Ted Simmons
> > Merritt Island, FL
>  >>
>
>
>Ted:
>
>In my opinion, you were dishonest, and cheated the customer. You charged her
>for the possibility of a problem, which in the end, didn't occur. You mixed
>apples and oranges. You charged the customer for a bushell of apples, and just
>because she looked at the oranges, you charged her for those also, even though
>she didn't buy any.
>
>I would have informed the customer that the piano needed a pitch raise, and
>how much that would cost. Then I would have warned her that in case a string
>broke,  it would have cost her x number of dollars, which would have included
>removing the action, replacing the bridle straps, replacing the strings and
>replacing the action. If the customer wanted to do all of that, then it would
>have been her call, and she would have been prepared to pay the extra, if
>needed.
>
>Getting back to your question, however, there is a way to remove an action
>without the bridle straps. I have done this on upright pianos, but it can work
>on spinits also. Before removing the action, put a strip of masking take on
>the back checks, from one end of the action to the other.  (Double up the
>masking tape if you don't think it is strong enough). Then put tape at several
>spots from the backs checks to the hammer rail. This will keep the back checks
>up tight against the action, and prevent the jacks from slipping under the
>butts.
>
>Willem Blees
>St. Louis