Piano Technician Rates
By Ed Gloeggler
As a footnote to my comment on piano technician rates several days ago (Digest 96.12.09, "Do-it-yourself Piano Repair"), I certainly meant no offense when I said that here on Long Island I found piano technicians charging less than the people who cut lawns. This wasn't intended to miff the professional who earns his rates. I think the problem is that the ones I had found were hardly worth the small sum that they were charging.
It appears that this land is full of ill-maintained pianos and misinformed owners. This tends to breed the "music-teacher-moonlighting- as-piano-technician," who attempts to get work at a low price after taking that $400 mail-order course. The result is usually glue, glue and more glue -- low quality at low cost.
Like every other trade, a master at his craft can name his price, especially in a large metropolitan market. I hope I'm not stepping on toes when I say that a large portion of the piano technicians' job is educating their customers to recognize quality and understand what premium work entails. It is surprising that in an age of communications, consumers seemingly know less and less about quality.
We are in an unusual market position where anyone who wants a piano one can get a piano, probably for the cost of moving it. The bitter reality of the cost of quality repair is often a lesson that is learned the hard way.
Those fortunate enough to make possession of a fine or rare instrument should consider that future generations will depend on their care of the instrument. In many cases this means spending some money to get it fixed properly.
Unfortunately many owners spend more money maintaining their goldfish than their pianos.
Ed Gloeggler
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(Message sent Wed 11 Dec 1996, 14:50:48 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.) |
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