SOME COMMON WIVES TALES

[Rob & Helen Goodale]

Here are a few common or reported piano wives tales.  Feel free to add to 
the list if you have more.

1.  Plates are made of solid brass
2.  Cases are made of "solid" whatever the veneer happens to be, i.e. "For 
Sale: solid oak piano".
3.  Full sized uprights are also called grands.
4.  Any old piano MUST be valuable because everyone knows that antiques are 
priceless.
5.  The piano has had only one owner so therefore it's in good condition.
6.  The piano has had four owners so therefore it must be in poor condition.
7.  The piano used to be owned by the guy who wrote the "Love Boat theme", 
therefore it's more valuable.
8.  If the keys have real ivory it must be a good piano.
9.  "The salesman told me it's the same brand that Elvis owned so I know its 
a good piano."
10.  "They just don't make good pianos anymore".
11.  "It was in tune when I bought it but then it went out.  There must be 
something wrong with it."
12.  "I keep a jar of water under it so that it will stay in tune longer."
13.  "I keep a jar of baking soda inside so that the sound board won't 
crack."
14.  "I have PERFECT PITCH so I know that this piano isn't tuned right."
15.  "I always have the piano tuned flat so that it will last longer".
16.  "I know it isn't a big deal to fix it, I read about it on the 
internet".
17.  If you restring a piano it will never sound as good as it did when it 
was new.
18.  "My piano has gotten used to the way I play it".
19.  "This is the same piano my music teacher owns so I know its a great 
piano."
20.  "It's not played very much so it never goes out of tune".