Again, I reret my off the cuff remarks and am sure this tech is on the mark with his prices. I would not discourage anyone from applying. PTW ----- Original Message ----- From: <A440A at aol.com> To: <caut at ptg.org> Sent: Friday, April 28, 2006 5:16 AM Subject: [CAUT] Money, (was Job Available) > Greetings, > Paul writes: > > << I thought this was way out of line to quote prices for tunings. << > > I am not sure why. Right here in this town, there are advertised > prices for plumbers, window cleaners, chiropractors, lawn maintenance, > gasoline, > Lazik eye surgeons, attorneys, and a bunch of others. There is nothing > sacred > about us tuning pianos. > >>>(by the way, they are way out of line for the area and circumstances) << > > I don't know what Lance's circumstances are, so I don't know how > that > can be determined. This country is built on supply and demand, (seen any > change in gas prices over the last 10 years?). Those La. prices are lower > than in > L.A. (from what I gather), and about the same as I am charging in > Nashville. > Even after growing up in Louisiana, I wouldn't want to charge less than > that > to deal with the humidity, bugs, politics, and heat. > >>>I thought prices for work were sort of kept out of ear shot. << > > I don't remember any time that piano techs didn't know what was being > ch > arged around them. > >>>I have no desire to apply for this position and would recommend no RPT >>>do > so. >> > > What would you tell them, that there is simply too much money to be > made? That a tradesman simply cannot in good conscience charge what their > market > willingly pays? We are not selling a cure for cancer. Pianos are usually > classified in the luxury market. How about the interior designer that > charges $ > 150 an hour to hang window drapes. Is he more artistic than the sensitive > ear > deciding how many needles to put in a hammer? I have more than a few > customers that pay more than a tuning fee for a bottle of wine. > Perhaps it would be instructive to know that copier technicians charge > approx. $ 125 and hour, (and that copier doesn't cost near what a grand > piano > does). They have far less invested in training and tools. Or perhaps, an > appliance repairman. They generally charge at least as much as a piano > tuner, and > rarely spend the time on a call that I do. > If we still have our health and the requisite skills, the sun is > shining. > We better make hay while we can, because there are few pensions out there > for us, and sooner than most of us think, our ability to repair and tune > pianos > will be gone. Joint problems and arthritis abound in this field, so I > suggest that all technicians strive to constantly increase their skills > and prices > to go with them. > > Regards, > > Ed Foote RPT > http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html > www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html > > >
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