Any piano experts?

[MichelleinMaine]

We inherited my mother in law's piano and I just had a guy here to get it tuned. It now sounds great, but apparently the board is failing. (Like screws stripping out the hole in the wood, as I understand it.) The piano is 60+ years old, so I probably shouldn't be surprised, but not a good thing to hear. (Then there's the cynical side of me wondering if this is some scam and I should get a second opinion?)

Apparently there is a way to fill the holes in, to the tune of $400, but he admitted that was just a bandaid fix, though it should last 7-8 years after that. He didn't really recommend it.

Huge sentimental value in this thing (it was *the* thing DH wanted from the house, I really don't have the heart to tell him it's falling apart.) Has anyone had this procedure done on a piano? Did it last? I'm thinking 7-8 years would get DD through HS. She is the only one who plays (well as well as someone with 3 months of lessons can play!!) If things change, we will have bought some time to be on the lookout for some deal on a used piano somewhere.

I just keep thinking $400, over 8 years, that's less than a buck a week, lots cheaper than a new piano?

 

[swilshire]

Keep the piano for a sentlemental reasons and buy DD a good quality digital piano to play. We have more than one, ranging from a used Yamaha Clavinova that we bought at an auction to a more portable type that we bought recently for $299. Both are excellent quality.

We also have a real baby grand, but DS prefers to play the digital ones.

Sheila

 

[vicki_c]

I don't think there's too many piano tuner scams out there - there's not that many piano tuners out there, period, to be running many scams!

But I like the PP suggestion. My understanding is that once the board is cracked the piano is pretty much of a goner and it sounds like that's where yours is heading.

 

[MichelleinMaine]

My understanding is that once the board is cracked the piano is pretty much of a goner and it sounds like that's where yours is heading.

My understanding (and wholly not an expert!) is that the board isn't cracked, it's the holes (some of them) themselves that are stripping out.

Thank you for the suggestion for electric piano, hadn't considered that for DD.

I guess my biggest problem is DH. We're approaching the one year anniversary his mom's illness and death. I about keeled over when the piano tuner told me her piano had a "terminal illness". I'm extraordinarily cheap, but it would be worth to me to buy DH some time to grief his mom a bit more before worrying about "losing" the piano. That sounds kind of dramatic, but I know it's very important to him.