SAT III

[Frank Cahill]

Where do you live?  I always tell people that my SAT is a small, dedicated
purpose computer...which is what it is!!

"David M. Porritt" wrote:

> Ron:
>
> I had people ask me about the "machine" when I used an SAT, but I've had
> quite a different reaction since using the computer.  People - at least the
> people around here - have some kind of blind irrational faith in computers.
>  Now the reaction is more "Oh, you use a computer, how neat!"  This might
> be somewhat of a regional thing as this is a pretty high tech area, but
> I've found quite a difference between the response to the computer as
> opposed to the SAT.
>
> dave
>
> *********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********
>
> On 2/6/00 at 9:22 AM Ron Nossaman wrote:
>
> >>     The biggest danger of the machine is that it makes it possible for
> >>neophytes as well as posers to sell "tunings".  The usual lack of
> stability
> >>in these situations is gradually creating suspiscion among the piano
> owners,
> >>and lately there seems to be a spate of unhappy customers with aspersions
> to
> >>cast,  like, "Oh, YOU use a machine, too?"   So, we have fresh young
> dragons
> >>to slay, I had thought they would have been history by now.
> >>Regards,
> >>Ed Foote RPT
> >
> >
> >Hi Ed,
> >This particular dragon is already old and stale. It was installed many
> >years ago and has been relentlessly and continuously reinforced ever
> since.
> >Twenty+ years ago people were asking me "You don't use one of those d***
> >machines do you? " I still get the question now with about the same
> >frequency as I did then. A "poser" with a modern ETD has a whole lot
> better
> >tool today than was available back then, but when the tuning is lousy,
> they
> >figure it must have been because the guy used a machine. Maybe it's a
> >flashing light phobia of some sort, since their VCR has been flashing
> 12:00
> >for the last three years and is beginning to irritate them. In any case,
> >it's the tuner's use of the machine that is perceived to be the problem.
> >Here where the Bible Belt meets Tornado Alley (there has to be a
> connection
> >here somewhere, but I hesitate to speculate), an ETD is often looked upon
> >as a badge of incompetence. I'll grant you without reservation that there
> >have always been at least as many incompetents with forks flailing away at
> >defenseless pianos, but I don't recall anyone ever calling for a "machine
> >tuner" because the last guy did a terrible job and used a fork. They often
> >don't remember the name of the tuner, but they will invariably remember
> the
> >machine.  Just like public perception being that pianos are immortal,
> >tuners are expected to be bizarrely dressed, eccentric old guys who pet
> >dogs and use tuning forks (on the piano, not the dog). If you can convince
> >them otherwise, no problem, but I've found it very difficult to get people
> >to even consider anything that's different from what they were "taught".
> >
> >I'm rambling. Sorry to butt in. The current ETDs are terrific. Good luck.
> >
> >Ron N
>
> David M. Porritt
> dporritt@swbell.net
> Meadows School of the Arts
> Southern Methodist University
> Dallas, TX 75275

--

Frank Cahill
Associate Member, Piano Technicians Guild
Northern Va