O.K. Please name some of these "...more cost effective alternatives." ?? I'd love to know what they are.<G> Joe aka The Curmudge > [Original Message] > From: Terry Farrell <mfarrel2 at tampabay.rr.com> > To: <joegarrett at earthlink.net>; <pianotech at ptg.org> > Date: 11/23/2012 10:20:19 AM > Subject: Re: [pianotech] Spinets - was Elbows > > Oh, don't get your feathers in a ruffle Joe ;-). I service many spinets and don't have any particular problem with them. If fact, I have been recommending one to a couple of clients looking for a piano - one of my long-time clients is selling her 1968 Yamaha spinet - for its size, a very lovely piano indeed. But then again, for every Yamaha spinet and well-preserved Acrosonic spinet, there are soooo many Gulbranson, et. al. spinets that are 60+ years old now and have simply been around the block too many times to make much of a decent piano for a reasonable cost. I'll work on most any piano, but my bottom line is that if the owner will still have an old worn-out, poor-sounding, poor-playing piano after spending $500 or $1K on it, then yes, there are more cost effective alternatives. > > Sincerely, > > - Man > > On Nov 23, 2012, at 1:01 AM, Joseph Garrett wrote: > > > Terry the Farrell said: "If I were to do that scope of work, I'd easily > > double that fee (mid-west prices). And most any spinet owner would be > > ill-advised to put that much $$ into their little spinet." > > > > Terry, > > Please tell me what would you advise someone to do with that $500.00? Buy > > another piano, of dubious ilk, that probably needs more work? Or...perhaps > > use it as a down payment on a Chinese POS???!! Hmmm? which one? that is a > > puzzlement. a piano made with particle board/select hardwood and bad > > workmenship? Or...a slightly old piano, made with real solid core panels, > > that Gramma paid hard earned cash for? Which would be of more value to the > > client? Which would give good service? > > I can say that I have replaced wippen flanges, damper levers, jacks and > > flanges, hammer butt flanges and elbows on the same piano. I replaced with > > WOOD! That was 30 years ago and it's still going strong. Musically? Well, > > it ain't no "concert pianer" but it's the one that the client wants and > > loves! I have many such, that I've done. Without regret on both sides of > > the fence. > > You call yourself a Woodworker. Well, which is better: Wood? Plastic? MDF > > HDF LDF? Select Hardwood of dubious ilk, with the strength of balsa? And > > then there are the poorly made actions. Don't even get me started on that. > > If you've ever worked on the newer pianos, you'd know the answers to my > > questions. The Spinet has been getting a bad rap for waaaayyy to damned > > long and I'm sick of hearing it! It's what puts the spuds on the table of a > > lot of beginning technicians. I include myself and I suspect you too, Terry. > > Joe > > > > > > Joe Garrett, R.P.T. > > Captain of the Tool Police > > Squares R I > > >
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