QUESTION ABOUT AN OLD PIANO

[Tom Sivak]

John
   
  Boy, there are two ways to look at everything, isn't there?    
   
  I guess I envy you, that you live in an area in which there are so many pianos per piano tuner that you can eliminate certain types of piano from your work load.  If only I had had the same wisdom in choosing where I live.
   
  A piano that needs it's capstans adjusted is a bonus, if you ask me.  It takes 15 to 20 minutes, and for the amount of money that the client spends, boy, do they get results!  I always say you get more bang for your buck on capstan adjustment than just about any other operation you can do on a piano.  For the same money, I mean.  
   
  I've had clients call me afterwards to say how wonderfully the piano plays.  After enduring the lost motion for who-knows-how-many-years, I come along and for a nominal fee, make the piano play "like new!".
   
  I do understand your reticence in dealing with uprights. I would never recommend that a client buy one.  They are too high-maintenance.  And I've certainly broken two pieces in the process of trying to repair the one that was broken when I arrived.
   
  But unfortunately, I can't afford to categorically refuse to tune them, and as a result, I've made a lot of clients very happy with the little extras that had to be done to get the piano to play better.  
   
  Lemons?  Or lemonade?
   
  Tom Sivak
  Chicago
   
  

John Formsma <formsma at gmail.com> wrote:
  Marshall,

I am recommending people not do anything with old uprights. I no
longer tune them, having built up a database that at present allows me
to work on other pianos.

My experience with old uprights is that they require more work than
tuning. That "more work" ends up being personally unsatisfying because
there is so much more work that should be done before tuning, and the
customer is unwillling or unable to pay (and I don't recommend any
work except full restoration which never gets a taker). Things like
adjusting 1/4" or more of lost motion, backchecks, etc. Not to mention
hard hammers and deteriorated everything that make tuning difficult.

John Formsma

On 5/24/07, pianotune05 at comcast.net 
wrote:
> Hi Everyone,
> Someone e-mailed me who wants to sell an old piano. It's a Baurer manufactured in Chicago. I'm told that the piano is in pretty good shape with one key not working. I'd have to check it out to get an actual look at it. I'm wondering first, does this person have a chance at selling this old piano. She thinks it's a 100 year old piano. I asked her to provide the serial number, but she has not as of yet. Are these pianos worth rebuilding? If so, is there anyone out there in my area, Chicago interested in an old piano for this type of project? What can I do to help her sell the piano as in the role of a piano broker? If its a hopeless case, what should I tell her. Thanks.
> Marshall
> Villa Park, IL
>

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