Piano Maker’s Corner: A Small Act of Kindness
Many years ago, a loyal client came to Ley Pianos looking to buy a new piano for her daughter. They owned an electric keyboard, but, her mother knew that the daughter needed a real acoustic piano to advance in her studies. She sacrificed, cutting back where she could and finally saved up enough money from her housekeeping profession to buy an upright piano.
Unfortunately, she did not come back in or ask advice from us or another qualified technician and bought a piano from a local thrift store. She thought she had gotten a good piano for a lot less than those in our store. She thought it was a steal and that she had gotten a great bargain. On the outside, the piano looked to be in fair condition. But on the inside, the piano was in terrible shape. The piano could not be tuned and the action was horribly worn. It was irreparable.
After finding out the true condition of their thrift store find, the mother and daughter were devastated, not only because the piano was not playable but also because they could not afford another. Because it was unfair for the mother to have sacrificed and saved up the money to only be sold a piano that had no musical worth, we decided to step in and help. For a few years, we had been working on restoring an upright piano as a side project. We had taken it in trade and couldn’t bear to throw out what could be a fine piano for someone. Daniel decided to give the mother and daughter that piano for a very small installment fee.
A few years later, he was approached by a young woman who proceeded to thank him for the piano we had given to her. Because of that gift, she was able to practice and be accepted into her top choice of music school. Scott Anderson once said, “Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.”
As a side note, we called as many thrift stores as we could find to urge them to not take or sell pianos that were not in playable condition. The majority of the stores, however, stated that it was not their concern, that everything was sold “as is”, and the customers know that when they buy.
Daniel Ley
We have a similar issue here in the UK Daniel. eBay, Gumtree, Charity Shops (Thift Stores), sell awful pianos, some at a very high price too. Many times I’ve been called out to a tuning job and had to pass the death sentence over a piano. Luckily we have a little local piano shop where he owner takes in older pianos, but decent ones, gives them some TLC, then sells them on for a small profit. It’s not a full restoration, but models usually include ex-school pianos (the local councils in the UK donated new, good quality pianos to schools in the 60s and 70s. The ones that have been well looked after are beautiful instruments. A little spruce up and you’ve got a lovely little piano at a very reasonable and affordable price.
I’ve often thought that we need to circulate the news about these awful pianos. Any ideas?
Great story. Lovely that you could help her out.