Hi Tim, You wrote in the last MMD:

> (1) Should I take the money and get out immediately?  Are there
> enough scary/suspicious aspects of this story to throw up red flags?

"Yes" to both questions!  I have mulled this over in my mind this
morning.  I keep adding 2 plus 2 and I am getting an answer of 3.5;
something is not adding up here!

Is this person a player rebuilder or mainly a "regular" piano tuner?
Most average piano servicemen do not fool around with Duo-Arts.

The valve and whippen issue sounds very suspicious to me.  But here is
the clincher:

> (he said it landed in such a way as to damage the bottom -- he was
> too shaken up to provide details, (except to say that "pneumatics
> were everywhere").  He said that the case was _not_ very damaged.

Hummmm... Sounds like another Duo-art to be "gutted" and sold.
(Some tuners love to do that.)  Pneumatics should not "be everywhere",
just because the piano fell on it's belly.  Crushed and broken, yes,
but not "everywhere" unless they were held on with bubble gum.  Hot
glue is stronger than wood if applied correctly.

Check out the story, Tim!  Request to see the piano for yourself,
and gauge his reaction.  And you _do_ have the right since you put
down the bucks.  If his story checks out, then fine, but I wonder...
Please keep us informed.

Andy Taylor
Tempola Music Rolls