"New" old uprights

[carl meyer]

I've enjoyed this thread about old uprights.  I like them.  We see
80-100 year (old) uprights that have had NO service to speak of (I'm
speaking of maintenance as well as being played) and with a moderate
amount of work they become wonderful instruments.  It is a shame that
there is so little market for them, but there is that sentimentality
that sometimes overrides cost.  I've installed Pianocorders since the
early eighties and sometimes I've had customers that have a piano that
had belonged to grandma, aunt or whoever (hasn't played for years) and
they would like to hear it play.
To be honest!! I always told them that economically Its a loser, but I
can't make that decision for them.  I tell them that if they are looking
for an investment that they should buy a mutual fund, but if they want
this for sentimental reasons just admit it to me and I'll do the best
job I can for you.  Sentimentality is a valid reason for doing  things
if you are willing to admit it.  
You've heard it many times  ( It was Grandma's piano--I played this when
I was a little girl--etc.)
Once a man called me and said he just had to have a Pianocorder.  In my
discussion with him I found out that the piano was an Estey Spinet.  I
suggested a better piano.  He said his wife wouldn't accept a different
piano since she had played on this  when she was a little girl.  When he
brought her to see my  demo she definitely wanted it installed  but she
said "I want my piano refinished". She also said "I want to leave this
to my children".  I just didn't have the heart to tell her that the kids
wouldn't want it.  The piano needed other work and when I quoted 4,800
dollars for the whole job I said "I know thats a lot of money. Why don't
you think about it and call me."  She said "We want it done. When can
you do it?  I did the job.  They were pleased.  A few months ago He
called me to tune the piano and check it out.  Seems his wife had passed
away and he wanted to keep up with her precious piano.  Don't
underestimate sentimentality, but don't milk it.     

Wimblees@AOL.COM wrote:
> 
> In a message dated 5/3/00 9:55:26 AM Central Daylight Time,
> dporritt@post.cis.smu.edu writes:
> 
> << Wonderful as it was, no one would even contemplate paying her even half of
> what she had in it.  This is but one of my concerns about "rebuilding" old
> uprights.
> 
>  dave >>
> 
> This has been one of my bugaboos about rebuilding older uprights. When my
> customers ask me to rebuild their "priceless antique" piano they inherited
> from grandma, and I tell them the price of rebuilding, and the value after
> rebuilding, the priceless become worthless real fast.
> 
> Willem