WACO, Texas — Teaching piano is Carla Gibbs' life but the past year hit a sour note after a repair job that left her grand piano useless.
In her home studio, you see letters and trinkets given to her by students over the years as a token of their appreciation for her lessons.
"You have been such an inspiration and such a wonderful piano teacher and friend," Carla reads from artwork titled "Lessons of Love," from one of her students. "Thank you so much for all the love you've put into each lesson."
The home studio has a keyboard, an upright piano but in the corner is her most important teaching tool, a grand piano.
"It's a really difficult time. And I know it might seem odd to some people," said Gibbs. "It's just a piano but this is my life. This is who I am. This is what I do. It's what I do everyday."
But for eight months the grand piano has gone un-played.
"It's like a car without an engine," Gibbs said. "You have your vehicle and you need your vehicle but there's not an engine in it. I can't use the piano."
"The sound. The base sound. The touch on the keys and the nuances that you can do and the way you play a piano like this versus that (an upright piano), it's devastating. I could just sit here and cry. It's hard not having it," Gibbs said.
In July 2023, Carla hired Waco Piano Gallery Owner Ray Kampbermann to repair the piano's action, the keyboard or "engine" of the piano.
"This is how he took it away," Gibbs said as she pointed to the picture she snapped while Kampermann was removing the parts for repair.
"And you know I knew something was wrong. You just feel like something's wrong," said Gibbs. "And the way he took it out and put it in his truck and didn't even cover it with a tarp or a blanket and that really upset me. And he said Carla, it's okay I'm just going straight to the shop. Just from the start everything was wrong."
When the promised completion date of two weeks went by, she was right. Something was wrong.
"I'm desperate to get my piano back," Gibbs wrote in a text message to Kampermann.
"When do you anticipate I'll get it back?," Gibbs wrote in the text. "And all he said was I need half of the $1500."
In text message transcripts, Kampermann asked for half of the repair cost of $1,500. Gibbs paid $750 but eight months later, the piano still isn't playable.
"I've asked him time after time. Ray, when am I going to, when are you going to finish? And he always uses the same three words. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know," Gibbs said.
Gibbs sent multiple letters asking for the piano parts back and filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau which has another similar unresolved complaint against Kampermann on file.
Our 6 Fix team contacted Ray Kampermann via cell phone who said the piano action was in bad shape; a claim Gibbs disputes.
Kampermann told 6 Fix, he plans on finishing the job, sending Carla the bill and taking her to court if she doesn't pay it but gave 6 News no estimated timeline or amount.
He also refuses to return the parts, saying he wants to be compensated for any and all work he has done and will.
But Kampermann could not provide proof of how much work, if any has been completed.
When we followed up for an on-camera interview, Kampermann had no comment.
6 News Legal Analyst Liz Mitchell doesn't represent anyone in this case but explained consumers are protected by the Deceptive Trade Practices Act of 1973.
"If a court or jury finds that someone acted knowingly or intentionally you could be provided up to three times your damages," said Mitchell. "So this is a really important piece of legislation that really does protect consumers that provides them no only a remedy but also a deterrent for people in the future trying to rip off people in the marketplace."
Mitchell also said there are other possible penalties.
"If someone has taken your personal property and purported that they're going to fix it but just takes your property, takes your money and never returns the property and has no intention of fixing it, there could be a theft charge in there at the District Attorney level," said Mitchell.
As time is ticking away, so is Gibbs' ability to play.
"I'm losing the use of my hands due to Rheumatoid Arthritis and having this piano versus that piano, it keeps my fingers strong," said Gibbs. "It's helping me to be able to keep my hands functioning."
Gibbs doesn't know how this will play out but she says the lesson is a hard one.
"I know I'm going to have to take him to court," Gibbs sighed. "It's unthinkable. It's unthinkable."
Unlike car parts, these piano parts can't be bought and replaced. Carla would have to buy a new grand piano which ranges from $10,000 used to $45,000 new.
She doesn't want to sue Kampermann. She said she just wants her parts back so another technician can do the job.
If you have a 6 Fix you'd like to send us, you can contact our 6 Fix team at 6fix@kcentv.com.