Customer Tuners

[TunerJeff@aol.com]

Dear List-Folk,

One of the scariest things a tuner ever heard over the phone was;
"Cousin Jimmy did a little tuning on it last year. We think he did real good
with those Vise-Grips."

     True Story (...the tuning pins looked like they had been gnawed on by a
particularly persistant dog... with metal teeth.). Also true story is about
piano that was completely DE-tuned by a guy who was trying to 'Save the
Strings', until daughter got back from college. He actually reached in, also
with those handy Vise-Grips, and lowered string tension to ZERO across the
scale, and then covered the piano with a quilt for 4 years.  Couldn't
understand why a single tuning wouldn't make it perfect, either.
(... "What's this "pitch raise" thingie here on the bill, huh!?").

     I do not sell tuning hammers. I do not offer 'tips' on tuning. I agree
with Barb that such folks should be offered the two-year theory... as it took
ME that long to get a piano to STAY PUT after I had 'tuned' it. It does take
perseverance to build  respectable pin-setting & hammer technique (...
weekend warriors need not apply. IMHO.)

     I will answer any and all questions about what I'm doing during the
tuning. I will offer a list of reading materiel. I will offer addresses to
good piano-tech courses or schools. I will be helpful... but it's just not
that easy, is it?

Sincerely,
Jeffrey T. Hickey, RPT
Oregon Coast Piano Services
TunerJeff @ aol.com

ps-
This left-handed right-brained tuner does 'play' the piano after a service
call.
One of my dearest customers is a 93-year old lady who gets her piano tuned
each year.
She says she doesn't play much these days, but loves to hear her piano get
played... at least once a year when the tuner comes to town & plays her a
'concert' after he's done.

I believe being a player does help me understand my customers.

Oh... and I'm ALWAYS willing to hear 'Junior' play a piece after I'm done
(... it can be a real thrill for the 6-yr-old to play a 'concert' for a
visitor.). Have patience with the small ones, they are the future. (But...
just one song, ok? Please?)

And yes, Bill Maxim;
    I too can be 'hooked' by a quality instrument. Last week I had a tuning
for a concert... and the Events Center had just taken delivery of a new 7-ft
piano. Wheeee! After the tuning the piano required about 90 minutes of
'testing'... just to make sure it was in tune. Know what I mean???