Flat-tery was RE: lessons learned

[Farrell]

I looked with a good loop and was not able to see any of the plating disrupted. So who knows?

Terry Farrell
  
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Paul McCloud" <pmc303@ricochet.com>
To: "'Pianotech'" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2003 10:33 AM
Subject: RE: Flat-tery was RE: lessons learned


> Terry:
> A few years ago, I was talking with Mark Burgett (co-owner of
> Pianodisc) who used to live here in San Diego.  He was doing a lot of
> installs out of his garage, and had run into this problem with Young
> Changs.  It was discovered that the felt was contaminated or had not
> been washed properly.  The centers would swing freely under normal
> playing, but after installing the player system and running it for a
> while, they would freeze up.  
> Aside from this, did the center pins look like the plating was
> flaking off?  You'll need a good magnifier.
> Paul McCloud
> San Diego
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On
> Behalf Of Alan
> Sent: Monday, July 14, 2003 2:50 PM
> To: 'Pianotech'
> Subject: Flat-tery was RE: lessons learned
> 
> After explanations and pre-agreement with the client, I generally always
> tune the piano to pitch and charge for any pitch correction. I use this
> opportunity, also, to try and get them on a regular tuning schedule
> (most at 6 mos, some annual).
> 
> If the piano is a little sharp in summer or flat in winter, but
> otherwise fairly in tune with itself, I will often tune it where it
> sits. But I will also educate, explain, and get agreement from the
> owner.
> 
> But if it were 11 cents flat in January and you didn't see the piano
> until the following January, you might have to deal with a piano that is
> 16+ flat. Then what? Sooner or later the piper must be paid and I think
> we all agree that a piano almost always sounds its best at pitch.
> 
> As for me, anyway, I like to get 'em in tune and on pitch, keep 'em
> tuned and on pitch, service the whole piano, educate, involve customers
> in decisions on tuning & repairs (giving real options when possible),
> make friends, and build repeat business.
> 
> About building the business and making money:
> 
> When I bring a piano to pitch and charge them for it, I also tell them
> that if I tune that piano every six months, at least, I will keep it at
> pitch (slight seasonal swings notwithstanding) and not charge them if it
> needs extra work to do it. Incentive!
> 
> As to people with limited resources ... yes, there are cases. I'm
> remembering a charming little girl who's piano teacher told her she must
> get her piano tuned or the teacher could not keep teaching her. The
> beast was about 150 cents flat, on average, and all over the board--some
> unisons made fairly  decent triads! I don't know how much money they had
> but it was obvious that the parents didn't like spending it on piano
> tuning. So I PR'd and tuned it twice for the price of one tuning ... for
> the kid's sake, period. Three years now and they haven't had me back
> despite reminders.
> 
> BUT I've been around a few years in this business and many years in
> others. It is astonishing how many people will cry poor over a few bucks
> while blowing scads of money on booze, tobacco, snazzy cars, pick-ups
> with 36" wheels, eight shotguns, a new bass boat, and ... well, you get
> the idea.
> 
> I think it's a BIG mistake to work cheap. Charity is one thing; being
> walked all over is quite another. Been there, done that, got the
> souvenir T-shirt. 
> 
> Alan R. Barnard
> Salem, MO
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On
> Behalf Of Clyde Hollinger
> Sent: Monday, July 14, 2003 3:58 PM
> To: Pianotech
> Subject: Re: lessons learned
> 
> Scott,
> 
> This is a good reminder.  When examining a "flat" piano for the first
> time, one of the questions I ask is whether or not it will be played
> with anything else.  Of course I recommend the piano be raised to pitch
> before tuning unless it looks like
> an old beater where caution is in order, but I still give the client the
> option of just tuning it at a lower pitch to save a few bucks.
> 
> No doubt some of us will see that as too compromising, but it's their
> piano and their money, and for some of them the money is in short
> supply.  (Hope I didn't open a can of worms here.)
> 
> Incidentally, today I tuned for a first-time customer who said the piano
> was tuned a year or two ago, and it really looked like she was right!
> Not the ordinary occurrence.
> 
> Regards,
> Clyde
> 
> Scott Jackson wrote:
> 
> > Watch out for people using playalong disks. This is more common now,
> as publishers such as 'Alfreds' have CDs to go with their beginners
> courses. Even 'little Debbie' will know the pitch of the piano is wrong
> as she tries to play with the CD.
> 
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