Getting started...

[Daryl Matthies]

Matthew,

Nice to hear that your interested in piano service.  Books are always
helpful.  THE PIANO BOOK by Larry Fine,   PIANO SERVICE, TUNING, &
REBUILDING by Reblitz, or how about ordering a catalog from SCHAFF PIANO
SUPPLY CO in Lake Zurich, IL.
Do you know of a piano store in your area?  It may be helpful to talk to a
piano technician working near you, but I think that he would feel like you
could be a competitor some day.  I feel that working for a dealer is the
best way to get started and your hands on lots of pianos.
My brother had a music store for 28 years (YAMAHA, WEBER, WURLITZER), and
this is really a good way to know whats going on directly with the factories.
Visit a piano factory.  I've been to YAMAHA & WURL.  They are definitly
worth the trip.
When I started 12 years ago, I went along tuning a couple of days with a
tuner that was going to retire soon.  He was a PTG member and had 35 years
of tuning experience.
Working for a dealer may not be the way for the highest salary, but it's a
good start.
If you do start tuning, don't give up too soon if you feel that you can't
get the hang of it.  Because every piano is built differently and some not
very well, they don't all stay in tune as well as you would like.  Practice
Practice   Practice.

Good Luck,
Daryl Matthies
MATHIS PIANO TUNING & SERVICE

At 08:30 AM 11/15/95 -0700, you wrote:
>The PTG sent me a list of resources on a "Piano Technology Education and
>Training list (thanks to them, by the way, for that :) ).  I've started
>getting information from some of these places, and I would appreciate
>any helpful comments some of you experiences technicians might be able to
>make -- what are some good ways to get started?
>     The booklet from the North Bennet Street School looked really
>great, romantic even <G>... but coming up with $10,000 plus living
>expenses for a year would be a real challenge.
>     The material from the Randy Potter School, correspondence course
>seems pretty persuasive; and of course it's a lot easier to pay for.
>Could a person *really* be a practicing, client-pleasing technician,
>ready to attain professional credentials, after using this course?
>     I'm still waiting for some other places to send information, but
>in the meantime, what advice could you give to someone interested in
>learning the craft?
>
>
>Thanks,
>
>Matthew Osborn
>Columbus, Ohio
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