Even though Chris and I have moved many pianos cross country (and I have
the bad back to prove it) I never cease to be amazed by some of the dumb
stunts by some of these "professional" movers, who have new trucks that
make ours look like the piece of junk it is.

The #1 error that the movers make -- they don't think ahead. They
just grab a corner and start yanking. They get in too much of a hurry,
damage veneers, and sometimes pull the legs loose on brittle old
uprights.

The approach I have always used is to treat the piano like it was my
own, ready to restore. Are you going to damage something that you have
to spend hours fixing? Of course not! I consider what the owner expects,
and try to make his job easier.

The worst thing that has happened in my moving jobs is the screws
stripped out in the empire top of a old player upright once.  Yes, the
piano top was old and weak, but that wasn't the point. The top was on
there when I picked it up. So, I repaired the screw holes on the top.
It made a very happy customer, who refereed me to someone else. Not bad,
for a little extra work.

But what a mover must protect himself from more than anything else, is
a "sight unseen" sale, like e-bay.  The mover can quickly find himself
in a middle of a dispute for damage that was already there. If I find
myself picking up such an instrument, I will call the buyer and alert
him of any damage before I touch it, and force the issue between the
buyer and seller. I learned this the hard way with some stained glass
once.

Speaking of moronic movers, I delivered a very fine Steinway to an
apartment. The owner of this piano had given me strict instructions to
open the trailer door, and let the second team do the rest, since
Chris and I could not move this massive piano alone. We provided
transportation only (no touch load). I moved the piano 2300 miles,
stopped at every fuel stop and made sure it was secured, and all
cardboard shims (to prevent rope burn on the finish) were in place.

This piano was in a tandem U-Haul trailer.  The grand piano had to be
tilted down and slid with the skid, to clear the rear door halfway out
to clear the keyboard, then stood up again.

The first team arrived, looked at the situation, and said "no way" and
left. The second team, who was sort of smart aleck, tried bringing it
straight out cursing and yanking on the piano, damaging the molding,
despite me telling them that the piano _must be tilted to clear the
door_ even though my responsibility ended once the door opened, it was
still maddening to see the molding get messed up after bringing it all
that distance with no damage what-so-ever, due this  moving team's lack
of common sense. There was absolutely no reason for it to happen, other
than the moving team's unwillingness to listen to someone else. I just
stood there, feeling helpless, wondering what happened to intelligence
and the human race.

No wonder I have been getting so many moving jobs, if this "twist" yank"
throw" "no think" philosophy exists. Is this normal for professional
movers to treat pianos in this way? I am glad I am not a "professional"!

This statement may sound like sheer arrogance, but it's not. I am more
expensive as most movers, nor will I get in a hurry for any reason.
Haste, accident or damage I cannot compete with the "big boy'" movers,
who has a nation wide fleet, verses our two trucks. A one way treck
from coast to coast, will cost $430 in fuel, double to return plus two
weeks. So, that means that I will have a fairly pricey fee compared to
the others. however, I can guarantee that, being a rebuilder myself,
your piano will not be scratched, mashed, jarred to pieces, or biffed
around or left to bounce around in the back of a trailer because it is
not tied down and will arrive in _exactly_the same condition in which
you left it. In the unlikely event that something was to happen, I will
personally fix it at no extra charge.! Not bragging, but I challenge you
to find that anywhere else. Yes, you can get the job done cheaper,
but... at what risk??

Andrew T Taylor