William, who just outguessed the next person in line (me), Or perhaps more appropriately, who did not read what I wrote very well. Um, yes. This is precisely what I was referring to when I wrote that, "All I'm saying is give them all the options clearly, and if they still want to pay big bucks for a mediocre instrument, I'm happy to oblige." I repeat, I feel strongly that we should give the the customer all the information available, educate them on the work and the results, and in the end if they choose to rebuild a wurlitzer spinet, great. And I should clarify that I mean musical interests when I refer to a clients interests. None of us have any way to judge all the variables that enter into the decision to invest in a piano POS or not. Respectfully, William R. Monroe ----- Original Message ----- From: "William Benjamin" <pianoboutique@comcast.net> To: "'Pianotech'" <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Wednesday, October 26, 2005 11:39 AM Subject: RE: acrosonic wippens, anyone? > William R. > > When I was teaching at the Piano Hospital we had a customer want to have her > Wurlitzer spinet: restrung, refinished and rebuilt. We wrote on the > receipt, "work exceeds the value of the piano." This was a keepsake and > our opinion didn't matter. What mattered is that her mother had given her > that piano when she was a child and she wanted it saved. > > William, who doesn't out guess the next person in line. > > PIANO BOUTIQUE > William Benjamin > Piano Tuner Extraordinaire > www.pianoboutique.biz > The tuner alone, > preserves the tone. > > > -----Original Message----- > From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf > Of William R. Monroe > Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 8:09 PM > To: Pianotech > Subject: Re: acrosonic wippens, anyone? > > Duane, > > I agree with all your sentiments. However, I still cannot get past the > results of the labor. What do you do when a client wants to spend $1500 to > get their piano back in shape, and the results will be a crappy piano? Do > you educate them on the possiblity of a newer instrument - one that has the > potential, or is, a much more musical, satisfying instrument to play? That > is the question for me. I recently had a client spend $800 to refurbish a > sentimental old upright. When it was done, it was hardly mediocre. I > clearly explained what she would have when the work was done - not much of a > piano. Sentimentality won out. I have no problem with that, but I do think > that if the client is really better served by an upgrade, we should be > keeping them informed on both sides of the issue, rather than just selling > work. > > More than once I have given up good money for repair jobs because the > clients interests really were not best served by that approach. All I'm > saying is give them all the options clearly, and if they still want to pay > big bucks for a mediocre instrument, I'm happy to oblige. > > Respectfully, > William R. Monroe > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Hechler Family" <dahechler@charter.net> > To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org> > Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 3:58 PM > Subject: Re: acrosonic wippens, anyone? > > > > Gads, I can't believe this list is that biased. > > > > Sure most of the pianos I service are most likely candidates for the > > landfill - BUT - if the customer is willing to pay my normal rate (which > > is what I go by) then I'll do the work. Besides most of them also have > > sentimental value or they just want a piano to plunk around on. > > > > There are a lot of churches in my area that have spinets (for choir > > practice, etc) even for church performances, and, yes, they even have, > > as you the list term POS's Acrosonic pianos. > > > > Not everyone can afford - or - even want grand pianos. > > > > I had a customer once, a church, that had several spinets because they > > were easy to move around. The church happened to be a gospel church and > > kept breaking strings on the pianos - did I care - NO - because they > > needed them fixed and they paid me. > > > > Bottom line, unless the pianos are darn near falling apart and the > > customer is willing to pay me my normal rate - I'll fix them - and > > gladly collect my - well earned - money. > > > > AND, REMEMBER, THOSE "UPRIGHTS" SOMEONE HAS TO FIX THEM. > > > > ANOTHER BIAS THAT IRRITATES ME IS PLAYERS. SURE PLAYERS ARE A PAIN TO > > TUNE. THAT IS WHY I CHARGE MORE FOR TUNING A PLAYER. THERE SEEMS TO BE A > > SHORTAGE OF TECHS WILLING TO TUNE AND SERVICE THE PIANO ACTIONS OF A > > PLAYER - GREAT, FANTASTIC, STUPENDOUS - MORE MONEY IN MY POCKET ! > > > > -- > > 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 > > _______________________________________________ > > pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > > > _______________________________________________ > pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > >
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