"Old School Teachings" - Little Story & Confession

[David Love]

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Greg:

I wasn't putting my comments out as a criticism so much as an =
observation on my own encounters with such instruments.

David Love
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Greg T=20
  To: pianotech@ptg.org=20
  Sent: May 05, 2002 11:42 AM
  Subject: Re: "Old School Teachings" - Little Story & Confession


  David,

  I always strive for excellence in my work, as we all should. But I =
can't tell you how many times I have driven many miles for a service =
call only to find a PSO clunker that is horribly out of tune and half =
the keys don't work because of broken & missing parts, etc, etc, but the =
customer says something like "This was my grandmother's piano. I just =
want to be able to plunk out a few melodies". Given the =
situation/parameters mentioned why would one be concerned about it being =
a bad reflection on their work? It is a reflection on the client. I =
don't think my reputation as a good technician will be damaged in the =
least by me making the effort to make that old clunker "playable" for =
the customer. I just do the best I can and then move on, hopefully to =
find a better piano to tune at my next appointment...

  Best,
  Greg
    =20

  David Love wrote:

  I missed a bit of this thread but the problem with doing this type of =
thing, even if the customer seems satisfied, is that the quality of the =
tuning reflects on you to others who may hear it.  Though you can't make =
a silk purse..., I do tend to think about the quality of the product I =
leave behind and how it might reflect on my own reputation.  If a =
customer wants to pay only a minimum charge, but you know the piano will =
need more to even get it reasonably in tune, and it is likely that you =
won't see this customer ever again--or at least for another 10 years, =
then (even though I still take the job) I often wonder if it's really =
worth it.

  David Love


  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Greg T=20
  To: pianotech@ptg.org=20
  Sent: May 05, 2002 10:32 AM
  Subject: Re: "Old School Teachings" - Little Story & Confession


  I totally agree with the reply below mine...

  Maybe that (customer/situation) is why the "tooners" of the "old =
school teachnings" did some of the things they did and a was not so much =
a reflection of their skill level...

  IMO the best one can do is to simply do one's best, given the =
parameters of the situation, and not worry so much about what a previous =
"tooner" did...

  Best,
  Greg

  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Kevin E. Ramsey=20
  To: pianotech@ptg.org=20
  Sent: Wednesday, April 24, 2002 9:04 PM
  Subject: Re: "Old School Teachings" - Little Story & Confession


      Terry, your customer dictated the terms of service, you didn't. =
Let her define the level of service she wants, if that's what she wants =
from you. You gave her what she wanted and what she was willing to pay =
for; there's no reason for you to have your "tail between your legs".=20

  Kevin E. Ramsey
  ramsey@extremezone.com

  The short story is I tuned that thing in 45 minutes and left it 15 =
cents flat. It was the worst tuning I have ever done, and I even skipped =
the few notes in the high treble that were lacking hammers and/or hammer =
felt!

  I still claim to be Mr. "A440 or else!", but golly gosh, I guess there =
are times when alternatives are in order - not often, but sometimes.

  With tail between legs,

  Terry Farrell

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