Junk Pianos - Sad Shopping Story - update

[Conrad Hoffsommer]

Duaine,

At 10:21 4/19/2004 -0500, you wrote:
>First off I don't want to start a long thread about this.
>
>Unless you all are seeing in very very bad shape (worse than what I 
>usually see) pianos. If I see a piano that is really down in pitch, I'll 
>tell the customer than and let them know by bringing it up to pitch 
>(A-440) there may be extra work (broken strings, pin doping, etc) they 
>agree to the terms and I tune it up to pitch.


I _DID_ go over all the options.  By tuning it about to itself (after we 
listened to how much disagreement there was between my tuning fork and the 
piano and showing her that my RCT said 427.6), I confirmed that the pins 
would not hold very much higher pitch.  The block was already doped and 
yanking it up to pitch would have been a good way to ream the holes with 
corroded pins.

Judgement call, but...
Had I immediately gone to pitch raise mode I'd have had to bring it back 
down to where it _would_ hold a pitch. {probably below where I'd found it}

Had the pinblock felt better, we were agreed that I would raise pitch at a 
later date. As it stands now, we both know that it will never be at 440.

>Just me, but I think that is doing a disservice by tuning it at less than 
>A440 (Unless it is really really junk)

Yes, it could be, but not when done with the full knowledge and consent of 
the customer.  She had doubts, or at least concerns, about the piano's 
ability to be tuned AT ALL when she called me to attempt the 
tuning.  Tuning at low pitch was not really good news, but rather less bad 
news that she had prepared herself for.  Junk it is, and junk it shall 
remain, but it is usable junk.

>>I only brought the pitch up to 430Hz for fear of opening a bigger can of 
>>worms with broken strings and even looser pins.  I _think_  it will hold 
>>at 430, but at least it was able to be tuned to itself.

I feel that I gave it it's best shot and postponed it's eventual fireplace 
duty.  I also made her feel good that all the work she had done on the 
keytops had not been in vain.

The kids (just starting out) can practice and it will sound musical. Being 
at low pitch isn't in and of itself a bad thing - my Simmons & Clough is 
low, but still makes music.  The piano should last long enough to see if 
the parents want to get a better one {or _need_ to because they started on 
another alleged fixed pitch instruments and need to accompany}.

  my 2¢

Conrad Hoffsommer, RPT, MPT, CCT, PFP, ACS, CRS.
Decorah, IA

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