Master Piano Tuner

[PDtek]

In a message dated 98-05-19 20:45:29 EDT, you write:

> I guess you answered some of my questions. But would you say that by being
>  tested by PTG and passing is better than just joining an organization such 
> as
>  the one we are talking about?
>  

About 10 years ago while attending a PTG convention, I took a class entitled
"How to Pass the RTT Exams". The instructor, (I apologize, I do not remember
his name) took his exams back when the technical part of the exam was written
only with nothing "hands on". He said that with virtually no experience in
working with pianos, he studied one evening and then passed the exam the next
day. At this very convention, there was a vote taken as to whether the RPTs
that had taken the earlier (easier) exams should be required to take the new
hands on exams in order to keep their RPT status. This idea was voted down.

Now it seems to me that anyone who is able to pass an exam in this way without
ever laying hands on a piano has no right to pass themselves off as qualified
to competently work on pianos, and a customer has no way of knowing who has
passed the more stringent tests. Now, I admit that I have not kept track of
guild polocies since then. Have all RPTs taken and passed the most recent test
procedures? If not, doesn't this state of affairs greatly dilute the RPT
status?

If I remember correctly, when the "new testing" proposal was voted down, the
reason given was that if these "old testing" techs had been in business all
this time, then we could safely assume that their skills were up to speed. In
other words, the same philosophy that is used by the Master Piano Technicians
of America.

Dave Bunch