[pianotech] another old PSO

[Paul T Williams]

Ryan,

This sounds a bit high to me as well.  I think a whole stack could be done 
for more like $5-6 K with complete action geometry included.  I doubt this 
piano is so far out that it would need a complete geometry overhaul as 
well.  At this point, the piano is so far messed up that anything at all 
would drasically help the poor old thing.  If 7,500 was the quote, I would 
seriously tempt her with replacing the piano!  What does a new Samick 
(previously DH Baldwin) go for these days.  We were talking yesterday that 
she would probably expect a $15K sticker price for a new one of that size 
(about 5'6") That gets to the 50% rebuilding cost of new quote I heard 
earlier, which I agree with, unless a real gem of a piano that would bring 
the piano back to amazing.  This one will never be amazing, sadly.

Thanks for all the input folks!
Paul




From:
Ryan Sowers <tunerryan at gmail.com>
To:
pianotech at ptg.org
Date:
09/02/2010 01:55 PM
Subject:
Re: [pianotech] another old PSO



Wow, Wim! $7500 should be enough to completely rebuild the front action! I 
knew things were more expensive in Hawaii, but this seems a little extreme 
to me. Maybe I'm just cheap!

On Wed, Sep 1, 2010 at 4:52 PM, <tnrwim at aol.com> wrote:
Paul
 
This lady trusts you to get the work done. I would estimate on the higher 
side. (new h/s/f, and reg. is going be around $7500). But instead of you 
doing the work, take the action home and ask Larry and/or Richard (or 
Rachel), how much they would charge you to do the bench work. Then, when 
they're done, take the action back. She'll never know the difference, but 
she'll be happy, you've made some money, and so have Larry or 
Richard/Rachel.  
 
Wim


-----Original Message-----
From: Paul T Williams <pwilliams4 at unlnotes.unl.edu>
To: CAUTlist <caut at ptg.org>; pianotech <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Wed, Sep 1, 2010 12:55 pm
Subject: [pianotech] another old PSO

Hi all, 

Just went to a usual customer with a beautiful 9'2" Bluthner at a church - 
3 years old which I love to take care of.  the pastor's sister asked me to 
check out her DH Baldwin about 25 years old and its a POS or PSO as you 
may wish to term it.  She is willing to spend thousands on it rather than 
getting a new piano as $4-5K is better than $15K for  a new PSO.   

What do I tell her?.  Its a DH Baldwin, somebody filed the hammers off 
flat, somebody else ruined the shanks, the hammer bushings are shot, it 
barely plays, etc. 

Is it toast, or would $4-5K fix it if she reallyy wants to keep this thing 
as she's very attached to it? The geometry is way out, and you 
know....it's a mid '80's Samick.  I didn't check the action brackets, or 
anything really...I just wanted to leave! I just looked for free and told 
her I would get back to her with some good techs in the not so near area 
(there are none) that might have time to do this sort of thing.  I'm too 
busy at UNL to handle this sort of thing, and our director would not look 
nicely on my bringing in a "stray" piano from the wilderness 
unless.......$$$$$ donated to the SOM (maybe then, so) this is an "In 
Shop" project, to be sure. 

Is it worth it? Believe me the Bluthner is my favorite in NE!  If you were 
a mechanic working on Fords, would you drive 1.5 hours to work on a 
Ferrari? what a fantasic piano! I LOVE working on this piano. It's my 
favorite in the state! It might truely be the best piano in NE. 

Best, Paul 



-- 
Ryan Sowers, RPT
Puget Sound Chapter
Olympia, WA
www.pianova.net

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