This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment Exactly William. My original post recounted several times I have = resuscitated pianos that arguably should have been allow to die. I just = did a elbow replacement and 200-cent-pitch-raise and tuning on a 1955 = Gulbransen spinet today. After I was done she had a crappy little piano = that played and was more-or-less in-tune. Her dad bought the piano new = for her when she was 18 years old. I charged $475. For $475 she could = have replaced that piano with a 20-year-old console that would have = sounded and played significantly better than her piano. For under $2K = she could have replaced that piano with a used entry-level = professional-grade very-good-condition piano (like a Yamaha P-22 = studio). I explained these options to her and she elected to resuscitate = the spinet. I did the work with a smile on my face (especially when she = handed me the check!), she was thrilled that her little buddy was = breathing again, and I'm not kidding - I almost gave this grandma a big = hug when I left because we had such nice chats and she was such a = sweetie (didn't - just thought it wasn't right). Anyway, fix crappy pianos? Sure! Cha-ching!!! But I think we would be = remiss if we didn't educate the piano owner of the benefit/cost aspect = of their decision. That's all. Although I have run across a few pianos that I would not touch. Not = because I thought I was above them, but rather because I knew that any = band-aids I applied to them would still not result in a functional = piano. Ya gotta draw the line somewhere..... Terry Farrell ----- Original Message -----=20 > William, who just outguessed the next person in line (me), >=20 > Or perhaps more appropriately, who did not read what I wrote very = well. >=20 > 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." >=20 > 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. >=20 > 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. >=20 > Respectfully, > William R. Monroe >=20 > ----- Original Message -----=20 >> 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 >> >> -----Original Message----- >> 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 -----=20 >> > 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. >> > SNIP >> > >> > Duaine Hechler ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... 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