RIP(pen)

A long time ago we spent what felt like a great deal of money to purchase a used piano. We were so happy to have a piano in our home and it's been a blessing to have that old upright Rippen piano travel with us from house to house over the past 18 years. The little piano skills the girls have (Madison really worked hard to develop her piano skills, she's the best player of us all) started with lessons on the piano. Learning parts for choir or musical numbers happened around the piano. Family Home Evening opening songs were always played on the piano. Even though we don't play it all that much, it's hard to imagine not having a piano in our home.

The sides of the case are totally separated from the bottom board and the metal frame and soundboard inside. On the opposite side you can actually see sunlight coming through from behind the piano because there's such a big gap. 

Moving is hard on a piano and we've moved ours now twelve times. This last journey was one move too many and as the movers were lifting it out of the crate to bring it into the house it literally started falling apart. I am not exaggerating when I say that pieces of the piano were falling off as they moved it very carefully from the truck to its current home in the garage. Seeing that it was so damaged I realized that we'd have to either get it repaired or chuck it so there was no reason to bring it all the way inside. 

Both bottom corners look like this. All chewed up and rough

The process for making claims after loss or damage during a military move is not always an easy or quick thing. A few weeks ago they did send someone out to take photos of the damage and determine an amount they would give us to cover the cost of repairs. I was not happy that the company they sent out is a furniture repair company and not a piano repair company. I get that a piano is kind of like a piece of furniture but it's mostly an instrument and some place that fixes scratches, dents, and torn upholstery does not have the skills to bring a piano back to life. We had to start with that option though because that's the way it works. When the claims guys came back and offered us $300 to fix the piano I told Jared to turn the offer down. There is no way we could actually get it taken care of for such a small amount. 

I ended up calling a local guy who is a registered piano technician to at least get an estimate so we can present the military claims people with a counteroffer and documentation showing what it will really cost to get our piano working again or if it's even possible and worth the effort. Well, we have hope and a plan and our second-hand piano is going to get a chance to play again! I'm so grateful that there is a way to fix it and that we can keep our little Rippen for a bit longer. 

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