This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment Hi Brett. A few comments interspersed below: Just wondering if anyone else has had this happen to them . I seem to = have slowed down . More so on the quality instruments .=20 How long have you been servicing pianos? I've been at it about ten years = now, and yes, I have observed the exact same thing - especially about = five years ago. I the beginning, a nice Yamaha grand was the fastest to = tune because it was tunable. Now, because it is tunable, I tend to spent = more time with a piano like that, than with a hopeless spinet. Then as I got to the lower bass another noise the keybed was knocking . = Maybe the Dampp-Chaser system I installed last year made these things = show up. All I know is I ended up running about an hour behind . But I spend more time tuning for my tuning fee, not fixing false beats = and flanges, etc. Then this afternoon I ran into a KG-1 I tune every 3 months . New DC = system last fall ???? wild strings 5th 6th & 7th . I ended up seating = all the bridge pins & strings it was easier to dress all the strings & = then tune . Then a buzzing sound from the case. Had to tighten every = screw tell I finally happened to kick a small fan with a metal cage = setting under the piano . Fixed it ! This piano is used for Jazz gigs , = Now everyone will wounder why the pianist is sweating . I tossed the fan = .Another hour behind ! I seem to be spending more time on the grands I = tune then before . The spinets well I do my best . Even a nice U-3 or 1 = will slow me down with one thing or another . For me, if some repair is going to take more than five minutes or so, I = have a chat with the piano owner and charge for it if they want it done. Am I just hearing better ? Has my experience gotten to the point where I = find more things that I would have missed before (most likely). Yes, that is my observation. I know that most of the pianist don't hear these things . I'm also = afraid that the ones that do feel that they got a poor tuning .=20 Especially false beats. That is one of my fears: customer will think I = did a crappy tuning because of all the false beats. If they seem like a = good player, or they have said something that suggests they are in some = way sensitive to the in-tune/out-of-tune concept (not many are), I will = sometimes point out the false beats - basically to tell them, "It's not = my fault"! Before I got into tuning as a player I didn't hear 90 percent of what I = do now . And I'm sure that most people grow accustomed to what they are = play day in & out.=20 Most likely. They must because when I'm done with every piano I play it . Most of the = spinets I hate . They think it sounds great . Even the little spinet I = played for years as a kid hurts to play now . Back then it was great !=20 At what point do you decide to charge for these little extras . Or = should you cover your tunings by fixing the little things .=20 IMHO, tuning fee is for tuning, plus maybe a five-minute freebie. After = five minutes or so, the hourly meter starts running. For now thats where I'm at . It sure can make you run behind though . Thanks for the input on reselling services . I'm sure now that I'm not = charging enough . That's the way it sounds! Terry Farrell ----- Original Message -----=20 From: BRETT GLASS=20 To: pianotech@ptg.org=20 Sent: Saturday, December 17, 2005 2:25 AM Subject: Tuning time Happy Holidays & Merry Christmas to All , And to Ken I'm not missing the SNOW ! Just wondering if anyone else has had this happen to them . I seem to = have slowed down . More so on the quality instruments . Like today I was = tuning a customers Steinway L (1972) for the second time . I don't = remember it taking as long last year . This time the 5th & 6th octives = had so many false beats . I stoped to seat the strings & bridge pins . = Then I got annoyed by a clicking noise on G-6 that turned out to be a = loose hammer flange bushing . Then as I got to the lower bass another noise the keybed was knocking = . Maybe the Dampp-Chaser system I installed last year made these things = show up. All I know is I ended up running about an hour behind . Then this afternoon I ran into a KG-1 I tune every 3 months . New DC = system last fall ???? wild strings 5th 6th & 7th . I ended up seating = all the bridge pins & strings it was easier to dress all the strings & = then tune . Then a buzzing sound from the case. Had to tighten every = screw tell I finally happened to kick a small fan with a metal cage = setting under the piano . Fixed it ! This piano is used for Jazz gigs , = Now everyone will wounder why the pianist is sweating . I tossed the fan = .Another hour behind ! I seem to be spending more time on the grands I = tune then before . The spinets well I do my best . Even a nice U-3 or 1 = will slow me down with one thing or another . Am I just hearing better ? Has my experience gotten to the point where = I find more things that I would have missed before (most likely). I know = that most of the pianist don't hear these things . I'm also afraid that = the ones that do feel that they got a poor tuning . Before I got into = tuning as a player I didn't hear 90 percent of what I do now . And I'm = sure that most people grow accustomed to what they are play day in & = out. They must because when I'm done with every piano I play it . Most = of the spinets I hate . They think it sounds great . Even the little = spinet I played for years as a kid hurts to play now . Back then it was = great !=20 At what point do you decide to charge for these little extras . Or = should you cover your tunings by fixing the little things . For now = thats where I'm at . It sure can make you run behind though . Thanks for the input on reselling services . I'm sure now that I'm not = charging enough . Brett Glass A Sharp Piano Service Maui PS: I won't tell you how I fixed the loose bushing other than to say I = had none with me . And most likely that flange will need to be replaced = next time it needs to be rebushed . It was loose to the wood in the = flange . I know the quick fix police are going to pull me over for = speeding to the next job . Guess=20 --=20 ___________________________________________________ Play 100s of games for FREE! http://games.mail.com/ ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/f0/d1/1d/f9/attachment.htm ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
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