Plastic (old) elbow dilemma

[Richard Brekne]

I personally think you are best to lay down the line a bit here. Tell her to
either change all the elbows, and get the action checked out really well, or call
another "tooner". Do it politely, and stay your ground. I say this for two
reasons. One.. this kind of job is always risky for a tech. Most of us have been
through it so it needs no further comment. Second, people simply need to realize
that at least some level of professional standards need to be kept, even if it is
"just a piano". I mean really... enough is enough already.

I typically tell such owners, I can fix the piano, but I will not perform these
halfway quick fixes as experience has taught me that this is unwise and more
trouble then it is anything else. If they get angry at me, I simply apologise and
point out that they probably would be "happier" with another tech, and I leave it
there.

Richard Brekne
I.C.P.T.G.  N.P.T.F.
Bergen, Norway

Jlovekeys@AOL.COM wrote:

> Dear list,  Perhaps some of you could give some advice on my situation.
> Recently a customer called and said some of her notes were broken.  After
> asking a few questions, I realized that she had an old spinet with the
> disentegrating elbow syndrome.  I explained to her that fixing a few would
> just be a stop gap remedy and she might in fact be better off with another
> piano.  As fate would have it, its a ? family heirloom (lame) and yet she
> just wants the broken ones fixed and the piano tuned.  I plan on tuning the
> piano first and fear that I will break many more.  She does not want to
> replace them all at this point.  I feel like I might be getting into a mess
> of a situation here. Perhaps I should cancel unless she wants to spring for a
> complete replacement.  And even then the other plastic, if any, may soon
> start crumbling.  So what do you fellows do in a situation such as this?
> Thanks in advance. Jim Love /PTG Associate/Midland, Tx.