Piano tuning and repair by Don Burke. Certified piano technician performing services in Northern New Jersey near New York City. All questions concerning piano buying are invited. See my web site at www.DonBurke.com
Tip #1: NEVER purchase any used piano before having it inspected by a qualified piano technician. If buying a piano via eBay, hire a piano technician (not simply a tuner) to inspect the piano. Many old pianos have a cracked or work pinblock and are not tunable without repair or replacement. You need a tuning wrench and tuning experience to be able to check for this condition.
Tip #2: Thin viscosity CA glue does an excellent job of fixing a worn pinblock. :-)
Tip #3: Please follow piano manufacturers guidelines and have your piano tuned at least 2 to 4 times a year. Most tuners recommend twice yearly service. If you do not do this, expect to pay far more for your next tuning!
Tip #4: Stay away from old player pianos unless you have extremely "deep pockets."
I first picked up drumsticks (at the age of 53!) after seeing Kenny Aronoff drumming, and thinking "I wanna do what that guy does!" (as if). Six months later I had the huge privilege of attending one of his master classes **and** having a private lesson, which made up my mind that I wanted to be a drummer.
So, when I discovered a Kenny Aronoff Signature Tama Snare Drum on eBay, there was no question but that I'd sign-up, and bid. Never expected to win it, but the fates smiled, I managed a last-second snipe, and found myself with a great deal on a much-longed-for addition to my drum set-up.
The day the drum was received at my mail-drop, was also the biggest snowstorm in the Puget Sound area for Winter 2006-7. As I was struggling along the worsening streets, I had a dilemma. Go straight home? Or take a side trip and pick up the drum. Well, I just couldn't leave my treasure sitting there. And it was a good thing I stopped to get it, because while in the mailbox place, I overheard that my road home was blocked by a jackknifed bus! I would've never made it down that road, and might've been stranded in more-and-more snow! I thought the drum had worked a little bit of magic.
So, I headed out in another direction, intending to get home the back way. But the storm was getting worse, it was getting darker, the roads were becoming really scary (and traffic was moving at about 0 MPH) ... I began to consider my options. I was only a couple of miles from my house, so if I got stuck, I could walk. But there was my coveted drum in its carton in the trunk. There was no way I was going to leave it with my car alongside the road. And it was too big and heavy to carry very far, especially while struggling through snow. Just then I spotted a Best Western hotel. Pulled in, got a room for the night and saved myself and the drum from further disaster.
In looking back, I'm sure if it hadn't been for the drum, I would've attempted to get home, and probably would've ended up in a ditch, or maybe much worse. The drum saved me, and I will be forever grateful to Kenny Aronoff, the Tama Drum company, and the eBay seller who shipped it such good time.
Oh, and that beauty is d'bomb when it comes to playing Classic Rock!!
...Well, a Piccolo!! I'll be putting up an Armstrong piccolo in the next week (model 290) The Oboe was my 1st sale ever, and I'm really excited to put up more items. Keep an eye out, and happy shopping!!!