Re: A Happy New "Collector"
Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2014 7:12 am
Mack and his brother have been restoring pianos for almost 50 years. I searched them out about 15 years ago and started bringing music boxes to them. They only do casework, nothing mechanical.
To give you an example of what kind of person he truly is, about 4 years ago I needed a piano soundboard for a special project of mine. Knowing that he has a warehouse full of useless and obsolete pianos that were abandoned by their owners over the years (for various reasons, mostly due to lack of funds to proceed with a restoration) I asked him if I could have one to take apart and cannibalize. He said sure, but not until he could get permission from the piano's owner. After several months, he finally was able to locate the heirs of one, who in turn granted me title to the piano. This piano had been in Mack's storage for 20 years! He considered it to be under his trust and care, and even though I am his best client, he would not violate that trust, even for me. What a guy, they just don't make them like that any more.
By the way, taking a piano apart is no fun. I learned the hard way. I went to his shop to dissect it with a meager drill, crowbar and a few other tools. 4 hours later, with about 4 helpers from neighboring workshops (all of whom brought their industrial power tools) we finally got that soundboard out. Pianos were surely built to stay together!
To give you an example of what kind of person he truly is, about 4 years ago I needed a piano soundboard for a special project of mine. Knowing that he has a warehouse full of useless and obsolete pianos that were abandoned by their owners over the years (for various reasons, mostly due to lack of funds to proceed with a restoration) I asked him if I could have one to take apart and cannibalize. He said sure, but not until he could get permission from the piano's owner. After several months, he finally was able to locate the heirs of one, who in turn granted me title to the piano. This piano had been in Mack's storage for 20 years! He considered it to be under his trust and care, and even though I am his best client, he would not violate that trust, even for me. What a guy, they just don't make them like that any more.
By the way, taking a piano apart is no fun. I learned the hard way. I went to his shop to dissect it with a meager drill, crowbar and a few other tools. 4 hours later, with about 4 helpers from neighboring workshops (all of whom brought their industrial power tools) we finally got that soundboard out. Pianos were surely built to stay together!