Jody has drafted a fine checklist to assist novices wanting to buy a
player piano (Digest 960806, "WTB Ampico Reproducing Piano").  Here are
my thoughts for additions:

1. The title should be "Buying a Player Piano".

2. This little paper is a fine candidate for the FAQ (Frequently Asked
Questions) library.

3. The preface should include a section on "Finding a good piano
tuner/tech"

Hints: ask the local concert hall proprietor, the local performing
pianists, and the musical instrument maintenance technician at the
local college.  Less trustworthy are recommendations from piano
dealers, who want to sell the service of their own poorly-paid tech,
and the poorly-paid tuners serving many neighborhood piano
teachers.  You don't want a person who does only piano-tuning --
seek a good piano repairman who may or may not do tunings also.
After you've found a competent piano tech ask him about player
techs.

4. Take the player tech with you when you inspect the piano (buy him
luch, at least!).  He can also evaluate the basic piano quality.

5. Find the serial number of the piano.  Usually its somewhere near the
tuning pins.

6. In most cases the piano you are considering won't be in top shape,
and will benefit from some immediate attention by the competant
piano tech and/or player tech.  Your goal is to weigh the cost of
the repairs against the price asked by the seller.

7. Trust the advice of the competant piano tech and player tech -- they
are the professionals of the trade, and in my experience they love
the music as well as their work.

• ----------------------------------
|         Robbie Rhodes            |
| Return-Path: rrhodes@foxtail.com |
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