Hi Stephen, Neat photo!! As one can not see the fallboard or any identifying names I can not determine if this is the Ricca that you so fondly refer to in your posts. If it is, it must be a joy to have such a fine example of a piano that needs everything done to it to bring it to limited usability. And I now understand why you ask the questions that you do about this instrument. Hope to see you at San Diego for the conference! <G> Joe Goss imatunr@srvinet.com www.mothergoosetools.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Stephen Airy" <stephen_airy@yahoo.com> To: <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2002 4:14 PM Subject: Re: Junk Pianos > Speaking of junk pianos and practicing rebuilding > skills.... > What would you think of learning on a piano like this > one: > http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/stephen_airy/vwp?.dir=/pianostuff&.dnm=RCPiano 1.jpg > ?? > --- Z! Reinhardt <diskladame@provide.net> wrote: > > Notice that the complaining is not directed at the > > customer. It is an attempt to understand how > > certain people can be so willing to spend so much > > money on all kinds of expensive state-of-the-art > > stuff for themselves yet cheap out in the worst way > > when it comes to their kids' interests. The > > incongruity of the situation is enough to annoy most > > readers on this list, especially when the cheap-out > > involves what we love working on the most. > > > > I personally think this is yet another case of an > > owner who understands and knows what to expect from > > the other material goods listed in the post, but > > hasn't a clue about how a piano should function and > > is not willing to spend the money to find out. It's > > the same scenerio as the fancy exclusive club (or > > some other wealthy establishment) that buys only the > > cheapest piano available and expects the various > > pianists it hires to play the thing without > > complaint ... because the manager in charge of the > > thing knows nothing about and probably doesn't care > > about knowing anything concerning pianos. The > > pianists can all be children for all they care. > > > > Now the challenge is to convince the customer to > > upgrade to a better instrument for the kids, and > > some customers in this position can be incredibly > > stubborn for reasons we technicians have trouble > > understanding. There's also the question of how > > best to keep the junkers out of circulation unless > > they were rebuilt into serviceable instruments. > > > > Z! Reinhardt RPT > > Ann Arbor MI > > diskladame@provide.net > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: Billbrpt@AOL.COM > > To: pianotech@ptg.org > > Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2002 12:16 AM > > Subject: Re: Junk Pianos > > > > > > > > > > End of rant..............for now. > > > > Terry Farrell > > > > Terry, it doesn't do any good to complain about > > this kind of situation here. We've all seen it and > > we've all dealt with it. If you have enough work to > > do, then just tell them the facts, the piano is not > > suitable because it is unserviceable. Yes, you'll > > often get the look of great disappointment and > > disbelief and also not get any money either (or > > perhaps only a small service call fee). > > > > You can more easily get a service call fee in such > > a situation if you spend less time fuming over and > > condemning the piano and the last tuner if you take > > the time to spell out, illustrate and demonstrate > > the facts and talk to them seriously about the > > benefits of new piano ownership. (You may also get > > a healthy commission from a dealer if they buy based > > on your recomendation). It will outlast the SUVs and > > all the other expensive consumer goods. It can go > > to a grandchild when that time comes. It is salable > > and sometimes at a gain rather than loss if the kids > > just don't take to it. > > > > On the other hand, there is very little which > > can't be fixed, including all of the items you > > mentioned. During my rebuilding days, I got an > > Aeolian piano for free that was deemed worthless > > from smoke and moisture damage. I refinished it, > > cleaned it out, repainted the plate and restrung it > > including a rescaling job. I sold it to a dealer > > for a price that suited me and the dealer sold it to > > a customer as a "good deal". That was in the mid > > 1080's and I still tune that piano every year. It > > is in a nice, suburban home where they also have > > expensive stuff. > > > > I don't like Aeolian pianos any more than you do > > and very rarely, you'll find one that is really too > > far gone to be worth repair. You can practice > > restringing skills, hammer and action replacement > > skills, key leveling and other regulation on a piano > > such as this and when you get to do the same with > > some really fine instruments, you'll have good > > skills. But just complaining about all the "junk" > > pianos out there won't get you anything. > > > > Bill Bremmer RPT > > Madison, Wisconsin > > Click here: -=w w w . b i l l b r e m m e r . c o > > m =- > > > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Send FREE Valentine eCards with Yahoo! Greetings! > http://greetings.yahoo.com
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