Master Piano Tuner

[Carl Root]

Ralph Martin:
I'm fairly new to the list.  I have no personal ax to grind with you,
but I have to respond to your recent posts:

> Most of the folk attended either a school or worked for a piano shop or
> factory or learned from another tech.

Many, I dare say most, technicians have no formal training.  They are
self taught. . . . . or are trained through PTG chapter tech sessions
and regional and national seminars.   

> The truth is...you DON'T know if the tech truly knows what he is doing....so
> testing , at least, solves part of that problem. The other organization
> simply assumes that the tech has to be adequate enough to have earned a
> living at his craft if he has been gainfully employed in the craft.

I strongly disagree with this assumption.  There are many tuners, mostly
old, but some fairly young, who have not kept up with changing standards
and would never be able to pass even a simple test even though they have
made a living in this profession for many decades.   
 
> While we all run across a hacker once in a while, for the most part I think
> most techs do a pretty fair job regardless of which organization they belong
> to or even IF they belong to an organization....otherwise, they don't seem
> to survive for very long.

They do survive.  Mostly because many consumers have fairly low
performance expectations.  I have followed many tuners in the field
during my career and have come to believe that maybe half the
'professionals' have no idea how to set a temperament.  
(yes, you can tell).

(Ralph, I assume this is your quote, too?)
> >> I should probably add my two cents on this subject since I am also a
> member
> >> of the MPT(master piano technicians of america) as well as being a member
> >> ofPTG.
> >>
> >> As you are well aware, anyone can be a member of PTG, whether a
> >> tuner/technician or not. Should you desire to be registered as a RPT, you
> >> must be tested by some members of your peers to see if you are able to
> >> conform to their requirements.
> >>
> >> The MPT, on the other hand do not have any novices in their organization.
> >> The members are not tested, but have to furnish proof of school training
> >> and/or apprenticeship plus a verifiable work history as a
> tuner/technician.

Work history does not guarantee anything.  Neither does a certificate
from a school.  I'm not knocking schools.  Only that they should be
viewed only as an introduction to the craft, no more.  Many graduates of
these schools have not passed RPT exams on their  the first attempt.  

> >> I do not use the MPT designation after my name on this list simply out of
> >> courtesy since this is a PTG list.

Many MPT members use it their advertising, however.  Any implication of
certification must be backed up by examination or it is bogus.  I wonder
how many on this list would hire a professional service person who
represented himself in this way?  

>>> There are excellent and skilled
> >> technicians in both organizations and I have seen the opposite in both
> >> organizations.

I am sorry to say that in my 25 years of exposure to others in the
profession, the percentage of skilled technicians is much higher in PTG
than MPT.  

I'm ready for the flames.  I'm only relating what I beleive and what
nearly all of my peers also believe.  Those who would defend the
existence of MPT might first want to address the issue of what the
average consumer might think when they discover that a "Master Piano
Tuner" is deemed to be a suitable title conferred by an organization to
all members who have done nothing more than take some entry level
courses and/or survive in this business.  

Carl

I've enjoyed the recent peace on this list.  Keep it civil. :-)