tax deductions?

[Dean May]

What is at issue here is what is the customer's need? I don't often
recommend people upgrade their pianos. Most of the pianos I tune rarely get
played. But if I have one that is played a lot and is a junker, I recommend
they upgrade, as I know they will get more enjoyment out of their playing
and become a better piano player with a better piano.

If they bought a cheapie to see if the kids stick with it and they've had
their kids in lessons more than a year, it is time to upgrade. My estimation
is that is enough time for a child to prove that he is going to stick with
it. If you don't give them a better piano to play, it will be a
self-fulfilling prophecy: they will get discouraged playing junk and will
quit.

In 25 years of tuning, I've only been asked a couple dozen times what piano
I've got at home. It is a '40s small Baldwin grand given to me by a dear
older woman before she died. Why would I upgrade that piano to a Steinway?

Dean
Dean May             cell 812.239.3359
PianoRebuilders.com   812.235.5272
Terre Haute IN  47802

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]On Behalf
Of Hechler Family
Sent: Thursday, September 23, 2004 3:12 PM
To: Pianotech
Subject: Re: tax deductions?

Ryan,

Boy have you hit a major nerve with me.

Based on your comment, everyone should upgrade to a grand. Nearly 99
percent of my business is the pianos you mentioned below. If which 99
percent have no space for a grand or don't want a grand. And to top
things off, I own an antique player piano which is a Story & Clark which
I feel is a good quality instrument. Finally, I also rebuild antique
pump organs which are not upgradeable.

So please keep your blanket statements to yourself.

P.S. I recently acquired a player piano rebuilt job for a Gulbransen piano.

Ryan Sowers wrote:

<snip>

> Very frequently I am encouraging people to upgrade their spinet,
> consoles, and worn-out uprights. How could I do this in good faith if
> I don't personally value the instrument enough to warrant owning a
> good quality one.

--
Duaine Hechler
Piano, Player Piano, Organ, Pump Organ
Tuning, Servicing & Rebuilding
Associate Member of the Piano Technicians Guild
Reed Organ Society Member
St. Louis, MO 63034
(314) 838-5587
dahechler@charter.net

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