new strings

[Farrell]

First of all, if the strings are not real old and corroded, splice before
replace. Stability will come so much quicker. Beyond that, IMHO, if she only
lives 10 miles away, and sends "a TREMENDOUS number of referrals" and you
"DO want to keep her happy" - case closed - if the piano sounds OK muting
off the new string, then mute. If it sounds bad - or she is not happy - stop
by every two weeks and touch-up. I know many would say she should be charged
each time, etc., etc. But, I have a few folks that send me lots of
referrals. I treat them VERY well. I think it pays off in so many ways. I
enjoy the special relationship quite a bit, and I get lots from it. They do
to. I don't do lots of extras for everyone, but especially those that are
willing to help me, I help them.

Terry Farrell
Piano Tuning & Service
Tampa, Florida
mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Harriet Lipman" <hallie58@yahoo.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, April 22, 2001 7:38 PM
Subject: new strings


> This is certainly not a new question - but I need some
> new ideas - what do you do when you tune regularly (4
> times/year) for a piano teacher who teaches ALOT of
> students - and a string breaks, so you replace it -
> you tell her that the new one will be out of tune
> tomorrow - she understands that, but every two weeks
> the out-of-tune  string is driving her nuts - she
> would like to buy a tuning hammer and fix it herself,
> but I know that if she touches anything inside the
> piano, she will break it (she is extremely impulsive,
> almost hyper).  Do I just mute it off until it
> streches and tell her that she simply has to live with
> two  muted notes (in this case it is a bass bi-chord),
> or is there some other trick I don't know about?  I
> kept pulling it (way up) when I was there, but that
> lasts about two days, in my experience.
>
> P.S. She doesn't live around the corner - maybe 10
> miles away - she also sends me a TREMENDOUS number of
> referrals - I DO want to keep her happy.
>
> I appreciate anyone's input.
>
> Harriet
>
> Long Island
>
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