WARNING WILL ROBINSON!

[Robin Blankenship]

Tom,

I worked for awhile for a major retail chain that at the time carried Yamaha. In that capacity, I got to see a lot of M450's and M500's. In my opinion, these were the best value for the customer dollar that that retailer had to offer. With a decent tuning and mild hammer brushing, they can sound surprisingly large and warm. 

For $50, I'd drag the M450 home by my teeth!!! 

Congratulations!!!

Robin Blankenship
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Tom Sivak 
  To: pianotech 
  Sent: Monday, March 26, 2007 11:09 PM
  Subject: WARNING WILL ROBINSON!


  List

  I just bought a Yamaha console for $50 (I think it's an M450?).  It was allegedly a practice piano at Berklee.  (Is that how it's spellt?)  

  I opened the lid to find a sticker placed prominently at the bass end.  It proclaims:

  WARNING!  DO NOT RAISE PITCH!  BRIDGE CRACKED OR STRINGS RUSTY OR BOTH

  There were indeed a number of bass strings that had been replaced.  I looked at the bass bridge; it was fine.  Any technician could look at it and determine that the bridge was not cracked.  (The strings, however, were indeed rusty, and could be at least part of the problem...)

  The terminology used ("pitch raise", "bridge cracked") seemed to indicate that the person who authored the sticker had knowledge of pianos.  Yet anyone could have looked at the bass bridge of the piano and see that it was perfect.

  Who could write such a note, that is simultaneously ignorant and yet using informed language?

  The piano was 30 cents flat.  I went ahead and raised the pitch anyway.(Had to find out) 
  No strings broke, although I applied Protek to all the friction points of the strings before attempting the pitch raise.  (A trick I learned here on the list.)

  I have to say that this piano is one of the most beautiful sounding vertical pianos I have ever heard.  It's not as tall as my U1, but from bass to treble, it's just enchanting.  I am considering selling the U1 and putting this one in my teaching studio.

  The case is damaged, so the $50 price tag is not totally out of line.  But I'd bet that sticker scared the bejeezus out of the seller.  I'll bet she opened the piano one day and saw that sticker and decided to get rid of it before it exploded or crumbled to dust.

  Today was a lucky day,

  Tom Sivak
  Chicago

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