No crown , negative bearing

[Wimblees@AOL.COM]

In a message dated 8/27/99 2:22:49 AM !!!First Boot!!!, delgit@acc-net.com 
writes:

<< I have a customer with an Emerson 5' grand that was "re-worked" by another 
tech unknown to me and she has been disappointed with the sound. I examined 
the piano which has new hammers on old shanks, new bass strings with 
over-size tuning pins, doped treble wire tuning pins, no after touch, no 
crown, some speaking length bearing but negative rear (hitch pin side) 
bearing.  I doubt the crown and bearing were ever measured.  But, the new 
finish is OK.
 
 She wants to know if I can make it sound better. I suggested regulation and 
possibly re-hanging the hammers on new shanks and flanges wilst establishing 
a proper strike line (current one not good) might achieve a little 
improvement but the lack of bearing and crown is a major problem.
 
 Is it worth even considering re-stringing this piano as is?  I wouldn't 
think so and an Emerson grand is not worth the costs of new soundboard and 
such.
 
 Del Gittinger, RPT >>


Del:

The customer wants to get her money's worth. She paid someone a large amount 
of money not to long ago to "redo" her piano, only to find out that what she 
wanted was not possible. Now she wants you to "work a miracle"

It is unfortunate that we have people in our industry who do not have the 
understanding of what makes a piano work. They might have seen a few articles 
on replacing bass strings, and perhaps had someone else do the action, but 
this piano should never had any work done to it in the first place. 

As gently as possible, break the news to her that if she wants a piano that 
sound and plays like she wants a piano to play and sound, that she should 
look for another piano. 

Willem Blees