acrosonic wippens, anyone?

[William R. Monroe]

Duane,

All good and well, but the reality is these "landfill candidates" are such
because unless you work for free or terribly low rates, by the time it is
fixed to its best - which is usually mediocre at best- the client has spent
enough on this POS to buy a brand new, or good used piano.  If you are a
technician who does not have a full schedule and is building up clients, I
can see doing some of this work at a reduced rate.  The idea being that if
you're not working on these things (for free) you would just be sittin' on
your rear, waiting by the phone.

Truly, these "candidates" end up being a poor investment most of the time.
Most clients are better served by the cold hard truth that they will get a
much better return on their investment by finding a decent used piano or new
one.  If they have the money to properly repair these "landfill candidates",
they have the money to find a good used piano.

Respectfully,
William R. Monroe


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Hechler Family" <dahechler@charter.net>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 8:48 AM
Subject: Re: acrosonic wippens, anyone?


> This list just can't help pissing me off every-so-often. These so-called
> "landfill" candidates are my bread-and-butter. I'm currently finishing
> up a 1919 Schaeffer player piano that had been infested with - mice. All
> felt items on the piano action were 90% percent gone - bridle straps,
> hammer rail felt, hammer spring felt, damper rail felt, etc, everything.
> Even the felt on the player parts were gone. And, yes, despite all "the
> lists" efforts, there are people with pieces of sh_t, that want there
> piano working again.
>
> But, I must not forget my one exception to the rule. There is a lady
> that got a new Steinway grand when she graduated from college - 50+
> years ago. This one truly need to go to the landfill but she wants it
> rebuilt - possibly new sound board, new pin block, needs restrung, new
> bridges, etc, almost everything. I am waiting to here back when she has
> the money.
>
> SO, before you condemn all these pianos to the landfill, remember, that
> there are those of us that those are our bread-and-butter.
>
> Regards,
> Duaine - saver of candidates from the landfill
>
> Farrell wrote:
>
> > Sorry, I don't have any wippens for you, but I do have curiosity. What
> > is wrong with only a dozen wippens that replacement would make a
> > 65-year-old spinet functional? Is there sentimental value to the piano?
> >
> > I'm always curious why it is that old pianos have such a difficult
> > time dying. I do this also - I'm currently band-aiding together a
> > 90-year-old microgrand action for a piano that I spent a good 20
> > minutes trying to convince the lady to have hauled to the
> > landfill....... (I'm talkin' gluing the keyframe back together - it's
> > totally trashed)  :-(     Tomorrow I'll be doing an elbow replacement
> > job for another piano that I recommended for the landfill. Although
> > Sunday was pleasant - I pre-purchace-inspected a 35-year-old Aeolian
> > spinet that totally crapped-out and recommended that it was not even
> > worth taking for free - and they passed on it!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Yeaaaaa!!!)
> >
> > Terry Farrell
> >
> >     ----- Original Message -----
> >
> >     I'm looking for a few good wippens.  Acrosonic spinet from the
> >     40s, needs about a dozen wippens replaced.  This piano has those
> >     wooden 'lifters' that fit through a rail above the keys.
> >
> >     Anybody got any I could purchase?
> >
> >     Thanks in advance,
> >
> >     Tom Sivak
> >
>
> -- 
> Duaine Hechler
> Piano, Player Piano, 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
> www.hechlerpianoandorgan.com
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>