[pianotech] Sorry I asked?

[Encore Pianos]

Hi Mark:

I used to have a customer with a 42" Haddorff console, not a bad piano.  

Here's something I found on the Haddorff  vertichord, however:

Haddorf Piano Co. introduced the 'Vertichord' in 1935, about the same time
that Winter & Co. came out with its 'Musette'. Although described by Roell
in The Piano in America, 1890-1940. as 39" consoles, the ones I have seen
have all been 36" drop-action spinets. They were made to be more appealing
to buyers than the old upright box, the market for which had drastically
declined after 1930. As the name suggests, the 'Vertichord" was straight
strung, a serious design error in such a short-scaled piano. Even a hundred
years or more before that it was realized that such short pianinos required
diagonal stringing. Aside from that, the 'Verichords' I have encountered
have had major problems with glue failures and other structural deficits. It
certainly can be repaired if you can find someone willing to work on it.
Realize that it is never going to be worth anything no matter how much you
spend on it. If someone were intent on establishing a museum of American
pianos they might well find a 'Vertichord' of some historical interest.
Otherwise, definately not.

Tom Tuner

This is from Pianoworld in about 2008.

You should probably lower your expectations to the present level of the
pitch.  

Will



-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Mark Dierauf
Sent: Friday, August 03, 2012 1:45 PM
To: Pianotech
Subject: [pianotech] Sorry I asked?

I recently set up a service call next week for a new client . As part of my
regular data collection routine I asked the make of the piano, which she did
not know. She said that she'd let me know later, after she'd had a chance to
look. She did say that it hadn't been tuned in at least 20 years and that
the top key didn't work. Well, she has since reported back that the
instrument in question is a Haddorff Vertichord. I don't think I've ever
seen one of these, but the Straight-from-the-Marketing-Department name
arouses my natural suspicion. Anybody ever seen one? Anything unusual I
should be aware of before I perform the expected 100¢ plus pitch-raise?
Should I be sorry that I asked?

- Mark