[pianotech] another old PSO

[Noah Frere]

Just make it happen. The lady wants to keep the piano. Maintenance is more
important than Newness.

On Thu, Sep 2, 2010 at 3:49 PM, Paul T Williams <pwilliams4 at unlnotes.unl.edu
> wrote:

> 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* <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*<pwilliams4 at unlnotes.unl.edu>
> >
> To: CAUTlist <*caut at ptg.org* <caut at ptg.org>>; pianotech <*
> pianotech at ptg.org* <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* <http://www.pianova.net/>
>
>
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