Greetings, I was recently encouraged to write the following ideas down, perhaps it would pass muster and find its way into the Journal, (since we seem to agree that content may be a limiting factor in what is actually in that publication and this topic here is about pianos and money, two things most of us are at least passably fond of). The POI is "The Point of Inheritance." It is that moment in time in which the older generation begins to bestow upon the younger set those relics, mementos, and money that can't be "taken with them." The passage of estate, while often beset with in-law bickering and family values tossed in the fireplace along with the old newspapers, is also a time when the wisdom of the elders is allowed a shot at making a difference. Grandparents like to think they can affect future generations, usually along the lines of quality, values, and appreciation for culture. What better vehicle than music and the equipment needed to make it? As piano technicians, we should be aware of the possibilities open to us at this nexus. It is not only a time in which treasures are tossed, but investments can be sold, and the old grand that has been in the parlor, (the one with the bass cheek bleached white from its 50-year view out of the picture window), is a prime candidate for us to save a musical instrument (doing good), and make a great paycheck (doing well). I have been here so long that I am seeing these old clunkers which I have been propping up for decades (usually just before Christmas) passed down to the daughters and grandkids. I have learned that at the POI, Grandma is a sitting duck for the restoration pitch. I can honestly tell them that any piano has a lifetime of its own, but with a careful restoration, that old Steinway can, Phoenix-like, rise from its verdigris slumber and once again be the center of a family's musical aspirations. Grandma will get sorta misty-eyed when I get to the part about the piano beginning a new life and that the heirs will bless them for having done it. I mention that the decendants will also be able to pass it on to the great-great-grandwhatevers. I mention that the piano can sing once again. Better they sign the check out to me and send the piano along its way in fine shape than giving the money directly to the kids, (who would then waste it on overpriced remodeling of the house, dinosaur SUVs, etc.). This is not some casual scheme to separate the elderly from their money. It is a carefully thought out plan of action that makes sense economically, aesthetically, and morally. If a technician has been the "family tuner" for many years, there is usually trust there, and there is nothing wrong with leveraging it for the benefit of all concerned. From the heritage perspective, what better object to remember ancestors with than a fine musical instrument? From the aesthetic angle, the classic American grand pianos can be restored to out-perform the vast majority of new instruments sold today, (at a fraction of the cost, even including new soundboards)! >From the moral side of the equation, the resources dedicated to the artistic restoration of the old piano are well-protected; the piano can represent a solid financial investment if the future requires the inheritor to let it go for more pressing concerns,(and the tech should position themselves to be of service in brokering the piano if that does happen, 10% isn't an exhorbitant figure). So, planning is important. The proposal can't be a quick one, it may take years to frame. We are selling our reputation with a job like this, and the honest technician will not rebuild a piano that was junk to start with, but when the estate begins to be divided, and there is a quality piano and funds to be dispersed, it makes sense to get in there and make a pitch for doing what is right for the family and the piano. After all, doesn't little Susie deserve to start her musical life with as nice a piano as her mother/grandmother/uncle Dave in New Yawk,etc did? I have nothing but disgust for those that sell the gullible elderly on the idea of restoring their piano for resale, as in , "Pay me to rebuild this piano and you will be able to sell it at a good profit as soon as the work is done". I have seen that scenario played out to the detriment of the owner too many times. What I am suggesting is that we be ready when the family of means decides to "pass along" the piano. It is up to us to explain that pianos have a service life, and simply giving it 'as is' isn't enough. If we know that the piano is worth rebuilding, and that there is a new generation that can use it, this is the time to speak up, while the checks are being written and the siblings are salivating. There is nothing wrong with us making a profit on our work and the P.O.I. offers a great place to do it. It can also allow us to "stay in the family" for another generation,(I have several customers that were new-borns when I began tuning for their parents). People will spend the money on their children that they were never comfortable spending on themselves. We should be there for them. Just something to think about. Regards, Ed Foote RPT
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