[CAUT] Tech Quals matter (Richard Brekne)

Israel Stein custos3 at comcast.net
Tue Feb 24 17:22:34 PST 2009


----- Original Message ----- 
From: caut-request at ptg.org 

>Message: 4 
>Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2009 22:30:14 +0100 
>From: Richard Brekne <ricb at pianostemmer.no> 
>Subject: [CAUT] Tech Quals matter 
>To: caut at ptg.org 
>Message-ID: <49A466E6.2010701 at pianostemmer.no> 
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed 

>Hi Folks. 

>I remember a couple months back we were going round and round a bit on 
>the general subject of CAUT certifications and I mentioned that if the 
>PTG and CAUT doesn't come up with a a truly viable certification that 
>someone else... perhaps Steinway I think I said at the time... would. 

>Seems like here in Europe Yamaha has decided to establish a Euro Yamaha 
>PTG which will directly compete with the various associations and no 
>doubt will vie with the European umbrella association Euro Piano. Euro 
>Piano has been struggling to get a certifications test up and going and 
>struggling with internal matters that have bogged down progress quite a 
>bit... and tho many of us have high hopes it will finally emerge as a 
>unified solid heavy weight association.... many others have serious 
>doubts as to whether or not the many difficult issues will ever get 
>solved. In the meantime.... Yamaha is jumping in with both feet and no 
>doubt will follow the model they use in Japan. Japanese tuners wanting 
>to get cooperation for parts and service from Yamaha simply have to work 
>for a Yamaha dealer. Of course this comes with the usual conditions one 
>could expect with respect to loyalties issues, pay, etc. 

>Yet another chaw to chew on for those of you following the current 
>efforts to create a bonified Caut certification. I suppose this kinda 
>goes in the opposite direction as my post the other day... and again... 
>view this post for your own edification and reply off list if you feel 
>the need. But I guess the moral of the story is that if CAUT and the 
>PTG doesn't come up with something good.... well someone else will take 
>the lead and perhaps more. 

No reason to sweat here, Ric., as far as I am concerned. I don't think that a certification tied to one piano brand is going to get much traction in the CAUT environment - where a great variety of much quirkier and more challenging instruments than Yamaha is in use. And I don't think Yamaha is going to get anywhere denying parts to University accounts unless they use a Yamaha certified technician - Yamaha has more to lose by making life difficult for CAUTs than the Universities have by avoiding Yamahas when they get this sort of treatment. A PTG certification can easily avoid that problem (if it ever materializes) simply by being positioned as a "comprehensive" certification. 

I think Yamaha is going after the retai - not institutional - trade with this campaign. And the US will be a tough nut to crack - Steinway got their behind handed to them in the 60's and 70's when they tried the same trick here. 

Israel Stein 
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