Unbelievable

[Carman Gentile]

OK folks, hang on.. this one is TRUE!

  Client called who has a 1906 Starr baby grand.

  In 1995 she removed -all- the plate screws and nose bolt nuts with the
sincere but mistaken belief that she could lift out the "harp" to clean
the sound board.

  That's what I said, she took out all 14 plate screws and all 7
nosebolt nuts but gave up trying to lift out the plate.  Later all the
the fasteners got _lost_. Remember, this was in 1995.

  The piano has since been moved -three- times.
That's right, this small grand with NO plate or nosebolt fasteners has
managed to survive three moves. 

  So she called me a week ago to see if the parts can be replaced.  I
said I can't make any promises and what she did was utterly unbelievable
and unprecedented in my experience.

  Today I took pictures and measurements needed to find replacement
fasteners.  The plate is still intact; the pitch is 50 cents flat at A4.

  I told her, _in writing_, that the plate could crack at any time.  But
then again, maybe not.  This lady is now well aware of her poor
judgement and knows her piano may not be savable.   We are pressing
ahead anyway.  

  When (and if) this project is finished, I will be submitting an
article to the Journal.

 Stay tuned for follow-up.

Carman Gentile RPT
Redwood Chapter