Choosing to Condemn

[kam544@gbronline.com]

>... I don't even play, ... I don't like 15 year old Kimball 
>consoles. But gosh, they play and sound like a dream compared to the 
>old beaters. Think also about how discouraging it would be to play 
>the old beater every day - especially for the youngster taking 
>lessons.
>
>Well, probably more than my 2 cents worth.
>
>Terry Farrell

Terry,

To qualify my following comments, I am not speaking of basket cases 
or derelict pianos, but pianos in reasonable working order needing 
some attention.

While I liked some of your ideas in making determinations, in my mind 
your comments above here tend to negate one's ability to even 
consider make such decisions. Maybe you didn't mean to say that, but 
to not play the piano seems to negate one's ability to know if one 
type of piano plays better than another.

Such a generalized statement as, "... 15 year old Kimball consoles 
play and sound like a dream compared to old beaters." seems kind of 
an unrealistic, especially since you, yourself, have qualified you 
don't even play.

In my opinion learning to play the piano to some degree is a must to 
increase one's awareness concerning such matters as to advising what 
someone else should do in their life with their piano needs.

There are some older uprights that play and sound just fine, and it 
would be fool hardy to replace them unnecessarily just because they 
might need some repairs, with a smaller entry level type console that 
can in some situations fall well short of the mark.

Also, there are numerous youngsters that are learning every day on 
"old beaters", that are incredible players and just love playing what 
they have, and would be sorely disappointed and discouraged with a 
small console.

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to the needs of 
individual families and their pianos. Evaluation of such things is a 
tender mercy.

Keith McGavern
Registered Piano Technician
Oklahoma Chapter 731
Piano Technicians Guild
USA