Tuning it where it is

[Phil Bondi]

Personally, I have had a problem with this for awhile..You know the pianos -
rust-infested, hasn't been tuned since Aunt Sophie was a child..those pianos.


I have always thought that if someone calls me to do work on their piano, then
I should give that piano the best it can get .. starting with tuning it to A=440.


I don't feel that way anymore.

I have tuned 3 in the last 2 weeks right where they were because of rust. I
went through a detailed explaination with these customers as to why I was not
tuning it to SRP, and they all agreed and were happy for the explaination. 


In the past I would have pulled these lesser pedigrie pianos up to pitch, and
I may have broken a wire, and I may not have..not necessarily trying to be a
hero, but wanting to do the right thing for this piano and this customer..what
I am finding out, as I swallow my pride just a bit, is that these customers
are very grateful for the 3-minute explaination and show and tell..they know
an awful lot more about their piano(?) and I get the feeling that because I
took the time to explain why I was not going to bring a piano up to pitch, that
they would still refer me because I took the time to explain.

Funny how that works, isn't it?

Rook