(Fwd) Haynes Grand-Look For The Silver Lining

[Gordon Holley]

------- Forwarded message follows -------
From:           	Gordon Holley <gholley@hi-techhousing.com>
To:             	pianotech-owner@ptg.org
Subject:        	Haynes Grand-Look For The Silver Lining
Date sent:      	Mon, 16 Sep 2002 13:56:49 -0500

List.  This past Saturday I visited a home where the owner had a 
Haynes 4'-9" Grand, circa 1907, for sale, asking price $975 or best 
offer. No decal on the fall board, or identification on the plate.   
I thought I'd take a look see for a fall & winter project.  The owner 

purchased it in 1991 and two local technicians had serviced it with 
the last tuning in 1998.  The last technician wrote some notes out 
for the owner to be aware of with this piano for the future.  One 
note read, "problem with the pin block, may need new one soon".  
Other than that no other significant comments.
I asked if I might look it over and proceeded to crawl under the 
piano, laying on my back, and inspecting the soundboard with the help 

of my flashlight.  There were many crack in the soundboard, some on 
the lamination joints and a couple others in the middle of the 
planks. You could actually look up through one crack and see daylight 

on the ceiling above.  Another crack was large enough you could have 
stubbed your toe with one side bowing down and the other side bowing 
up.  I put my busniess card up through the crack. I showed the owner 
the cracks which he had never seen before or was aware of.
I then looked over the plate.  WOW, gold paint all over the plate, 
strings, pins, bushings, hitch pins, and on and on.  
"Are you aware of what's wrong with this picture?". NO - (long 
pause).
I explained that someone had spray painted the plate with strings, 
pins, etc. all in place and never even attempted to mask off any 
area.
His jaw continued to drop.
The hammers were deeply grooved, ivories chipped, and "OUT OF TUNE"
possibly 150+ cents.
Now this family, nice house, two beautiful cars, manicured lawn, 
inboard boat on trailer, had no one that played the piano and it was 
more or less a piece of furniture.  
I suggested he reconsider his asking price of $975 and said if any 
prospective buyer knows what they are looking for, and looks this 
piano over thoroughly,  they may just excuse themselves and not make 
any offer less than your asking price.  
I've looked for the Haynes brand name and come up with blanks. Does 
any one have any past history on this PSO.  I found Haines. 
I wanted to drop little pieces of paper down the driveway, which was 
long, with a written note simply saying "CAVEAT EMPTOR".
I left my business card with the owner, only if he were to purchase 
another piano and needed service and tuning.  "Please don't give the 
card to the buyer of this piano, I would not want the task of telling 

the buyer that "I've seen this piano before". 
1 1/2 hours, 25 miles, and another opportunity to see a real POS,  
"Piece Of Sh__ __". 
Regards for Goshen, Indiana.
Gordon Holley



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