Hi, Damppchasers patent is for bottom/back covers to control humidity--not to "hide the plumbing"--so Weber (Aeolian) would have nothing to say. As for pricing, I've never had a client who did not have the system pay for itself in simple tunings in less than 6 years. BTW I charge $875.00 (Canadian dollars) plus taxes for a full Grand install with bottom cover. At 08:18 AM 11/17/2005 -0000, you wrote: >I have seen 1920's player grands with original undercovers to hide all the >plumbing. Just wondering what Weber (Aeolian) would have said about the DC >patent. > >As for pricing, by the time a DC system gets over here, the retail price is >horrendous to the point of ridicule. In fact it's embarrassing to even quote >a price.Tis no wonder I have never seen one. > >AF(UK) > > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Alan Barnard" <tune4u@earthlink.net> >To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org> >Sent: Thursday, November 17, 2005 12:05 AM >Subject: Working Undercover(s) was Re: Marking up Merchandise > > >> To Roger: >> >> I have sold and installed a buncha DC systems and am a true believer. But >> I >> wish to address your comment on undercovers. >> >> Frankly, I think they are way overpriced for a piece of cloth, some >> Velcro, >> and thumb tacks that I think many of us never use. The undercovers clearly >> help many pianos, but installing them (and maintaining the system with one >> installed) is definitely a sandpaper suppository. I have charged for labor >> only when installing them, as I personally can't justify selling them at a >> higher retail than you are charging for the wholesale. I used to take my >> regular markup plus labor, until a valued customer saw the opened box, got >> a pained expression on her face, and asked, "Is that all it is?" Man, that >> was awkward. >> >> Hope you're working on a better installation system. >> >> If someone packaged cloth, Velcro, and thumbtacks and sold that to techs >> or >> piano owners, marketing it as a tie-in to your humidity control system, >> that would be walking on very thin ice, indeed.And certainly don't favor >> stomping on anyone's patent, but I do wonder how the courts would respond >> to a patent on cloth stapled to wood. >> >> I'm not a troublemaker; I'll play by the rules. But those are my thoughts. >> >> Alan Barnard >> Salem, Missouri >> >> >>> [Original Message] >>> From: Roger Wheelock <roger@dampp-chaser.com> >>> To: <deanmay@pianorebuilders.com>; Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org> >>> Date: 11/16/2005 3:20:20 PM >>> Subject: Re: Marking up Merchandise >>> >>> Hi Dean, >>> >>> Thank you and Joe both for the support you have shown for our product >> over >>> the years. We really appreciate it here at Dampp-Chaser. However, I >> would >>> like to gently point out that Dampp-Chaser has a patent on the undercover >>> and back side cover. We kindly ask technicians to honor this. >>> >>> Roger >>> >>> Roger Wheelock, VP >>> Dampp-Chaser Corp. >>> >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>> From: "Dean May" <deanmay@pianorebuilders.com> >>> To: "'Pianotech'" <pianotech@ptg.org> >>> Sent: Tuesday, November 15, 2005 10:19 PM >>> Subject: RE: Marking up Merchandise >>> >>> >>> > Another factor you are not considering, Joe, is the time it takes to >>> > sell the system. It is not uncommon for me to recommend a Dampchaser >>> > multiple times to a customer, each time spending several minutes giving >>> > the pitch, passing out the brochure, sometimes fielding phone calls >>> > from >>> > church deacons. Plus the added overhead of keeping a couple units in >>> > stock. I feel like I need more than a 50% margin for such a sales >>> > intensive system, more like 75%. >>> > >>> > One place to improve the margin on these systems is to buy your speaker >>> > grill cloth at Joann Fabrics by the roll and Velcro tabs in bulk. >>> > Material cost for a bottom cover install goes from $35 down to $12. >>> > This >>> > lets me do an undercover upgrade for $60 and that is an easy sale. >>> > >>> > I've trained my teenage sons on how to install the Dampchasers and >>> > undercovers. They make $30/hr and I still make a good margin. >>> > >>> > 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 Joseph Garrett >>> > Sent: Tuesday, November 15, 2005 10:26 AM >>> > To: pianotech >>> > Subject: Re: Marking up Merchandise >>> > >>> > I mark up all items double the wholesale price, then add the shipping. >>> > Installation is another issue, IMO. A few exceptions, (and I don't >>> > have >>> > a clue why I do it this way.<G>), is Damp Chaser products and >>> > Dollies/Trucks: Double the wholesale + Shipping/Handling; installation >>> > is included in that price. >>> > The one factor that most do not consider, is the time it takes to find >>> > the item, order it, etc. "Time is Money".<G> >>> > Regards, >>> > >>> > Joe Garrett, R.P.T. (Oregon) >>> > Captain, Tool Police >>> > Squares R I >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives >> >> >> > > >_______________________________________________ >pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > > >-- >No virus found in this incoming message. >Checked by AVG Free Edition. >Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.13.3/173 - Release Date: 11/16/2005 > > Regards, Don Rose, B.Mus., A.M.U.S., A.MUS., R.P.T. Non calor sed umor est qui nobis incommodat mailto:pianotuna@yahoo.com http://us.geocities.com/drpt1948/ 3004 Grant Rd. REGINA, SK, S4S 5G7 306-539-0716 or 1-888-29t-uner
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