Shut my mouth

[Delwin D Fandrich]

----- Original Message -----
From: pryan2 <pryan2@the-beach.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: March 24, 2000 4:56 AM
Subject: Shut my mouth



> Question:  How honest should we be when asked to evaluate an old piano?  I
> just feel that we are not doing them a service to agree with their
misguided
> logic.  On the other hand, they really don't want to know the bad parts
and
> I don't want to lose a customer.  Where is the middle road?
>
> Phil Ryan
> Miami Beach

--------------------------------------------------------

Be as diplomatically honest as possible.  If you can agree that they 'got a
good deal,' do so, while still pointing out the true condition of the piano
and what it will take to get the piano into reasonable playing condition.

I still painfully remember the situation in which I kept my mouth shut and
later found that my silence was taken to mean agreement.  The piano was
later sold again, this time with the seller claiming that I had examined the
piano and agreeing with him that it was a great instrument.  It all got
straightened out in the end -- more or less -- but I think it would have
been much better if I had been more insistent on stating my professional
opinion about the instrument in the first place.

When I go to my doctor, I may not want to hear the truth but I depend on him
to tell me I need to exercise more and lose more weight anyway.  No matter
how disconcerting, even if its more serious, I need to hear the truth.  So
does the piano owner.  Especially one with children who may be subjected to
the parents ill-informed purchase.

Del