ok, I give up

[Yardarm103669107@AOL.COM]

In a message dated 4/13/2001 2:12:45 PM Central Daylight Time, 
AAKStar@AOL.COM writes:

<< 
 I cannot and I repeat, cannot pay a technician to come to my house and do 
the 
 $2000 worth of servicing required to regulate my piano. I dont have a job 
and 
 my mother doesnt want to pay for this. So, my only alternative is to do it 
 myself.
 
 So, if I cant lacquer the keys, what CAN I do by myself by reading a book? I 
 mean, there has to be some adjustments that I can make that are easy enough 
 to do without a technician's supervision, right? Why would Reblitz sell a 
 book if he had no intention of allowing hobbyists do some work on their own?
 
 Can I at least tune the piano (with practice) by myself, by reading this 
book?
 
 Please help. I am sick and tired of playing on my crappy L Steinway that 
 plays at 20% of its potential.
  >>

Mr. Koo:
I'm sorry you are having such a hard time with your piano. The costs for 
having such exacting work done are, as you say, high, but no higher than they 
should be. Perhaps you could find a technician who would be willing to work 
with you over time and spread the costs? Since you are a performance pianist, 
and you are working with a SW-L, perhaps you need to think about the 
requirements for this and the associated costs as the necessary pricetag for 
your endeavor. Perhaps you already have and that's why you are so frustrated. 
Let me assure that you will become significantly more frustrated if you 
decide to begin working on your piano by yourself. What is now a piano 
playing at 20% of its potential will quickly become less as you go through 
the processes of learning how to work with all of the parts and tools 
necessary to do GOOD work. You will end up calling back the technician and 
having to find a way to pay much more than you originally would have. I mean 
this in all kindness, by the way. I am sympathetic to your plight; but I 
seriously recommend that you stick to your area of expertise. Don't let that 
discourage you from learning gradually how to work on pianos, joining the 
PTG, interacting with others to learn more, and becoming profficient over the 
years; but it IS years. 

Please feel free to address me personally if you wish (motsphere@aol.com).
Paul Revenk0-Jones