Voicing & Owner Education

[Roy Ulrich]

You wrote:

----- Original Message -----
From: "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, June 10, 2000 7:41 AM
Subject: Voicing & Owner Education


> I tuned an small old Baldwin/Ellington grand last night. Hammers appear to
> be less than 10 - 20 years old. This thing was brighter than most 50 year
> old spinnets. I asked the guy if he ever plays any other pianos (read: do
> you realize this piano is brighter (harsh) than any other piano on planet
> earth). He said no. I would love to voice this thing to a more mellow
state
> (it was a bit of a bear to tune - hitting the strings with steel hammers
and
> all). I broached the topic, and he seemed uninterested (I think he just
> simply did not have a clue).
>
> Any suggestions on educating a piano owner on this topic so that he can
make
> an informed decision - such as let me voice his piano so that it sounds
like
> a piano. Man it's horrible - bright, harsh, nasty in all plain wires, then
> dull & tubby (old strings) in bass. YUK! Sounds like two separate horrible
> spinnets. At least softer sounding plain wires would make it whole - maybe
> then he could learn tunes that did not utilize bass strings (oops, am I
> letting my sarcastic inner thoughts out?)!
>
> Terry Farrell
> Piano Tuning & Service
> Tampa, Florida
> mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com
>
I have a theory / plan / policy: It's the customer's piano, ear, home,
checkbook - get the drift? I suggest that we can suggest, but beyond that
it's not our place to accept an invitation into a customer's home and insult
them. If you really can't stand the piano, don't go back there. Tell him
your "Grandmother died again" or something.

Roy Ulrich