Service Fee

[David Andersen]

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> Dave Doremus wrote:
>=20
>  =B3And still I'm competing with estimates of $2800 to restring, replace
> hammers, bleach keys, replace all action cloth and leather and regulate a
> grand piano. I'm not kidding, looked at it last night. And there is alway=
s
> some one with a peterson strobe who thinks $35 is great for a tuning. At =
least
> those customers often end up calling me to repair the damage btu I get ti=
red
> of that after a while. I spent 6 years working for a harpsichord builder,=
 if
> you put 600 hours plus materials into an instrument that sells for 20K, t=
hats
> 33/hr out of which comes all overhead and materials and assistants wages.=
 But
> they have to compete with basement kit builders willing to sell an extern=
ally
> similar instrument for 10K. Of course, it's not nearly the quality, and s=
ome
> people recognize  that, but like tuning, it's shocking how many dont. Eno=
ugh
> ranting, guess your note caught me on a bad day...=B2  :)
>=20


Wow. Dave. I=B9m gonna give you some advice that might sound harsh---please
believe it=B9s with all due respect:

The fact that you=B9re on this list, and engaged in learning, and trying to b=
e
honest and ethical, immediately puts you in the top 25% of people engaged i=
n
this craft and the piano business.

If you love your work, and you=B9re good, really good, at some aspect of or
craft, then you move into the top 10%.

Okay. Here=B9s the payoff:  if you
        1. Love people, and aren=B9t afraid to treat your clients as human
beings, and
        2. Are accountable, and take responsibility for your decisions and
actions, and
        3. Are NOT a drama queen---you leave your moodiness and angst at
home, and step up like a
        professional----

Then you=B9re in. You=B9re indispensable. Cash flow becomes not a problem unles=
s
you=B9re livin=B9 the high life.

DUDE---YOU ARE NOT COMPETING WITH THOSE D GRADE HACK ARTISTS NAMED ABOVE.

With  respect, that=B9s your own mental prison. There are serious pianists an=
d
serious pianos, and plenty of good, trusting, enjoyable clients pretty much
everywhere.  You need to attract them by being one of the best around, and
delivering a complete piano service. Blow people away with your tuning
skills. Get serious with voicing and fine action regulation. The percentage
of pianos that I come upon for the first time (new clients)
that have been properly maintained is about 3%---and that=B9s generous. The
stone cold reality is that most =B3piano technicians=B2 do not do a lick of
maintenance. That is a literal gold mine for you, brother, if you know what
to do.=20

You can take a piano that sounds harsh, clangy, piercing, dissonant, and
feels resistant, shallow, spongy, and heavy, and make it, with surprisingly
little effort---4 to 12 hours, depending on time, trust, and budget--
a sweet, singing, crisp musical instrument.
 In most cases. YMMV.  :--)

When you get THERE, you=B9re pretty much one of a rare breed, and you can
command the rates you want.

There=B9s a certain percentage of piano owners who understand the value of
what you have to offer.
You need to raise your rates, and your reputation, until you attract those
people. It=B9s dead simple.

FOCUS ON YOUR TUNING SKILLS. It=B9s what you do the most of, and what
separates the sheep from the goats, as it were. Hang out with master tuners=
;
take advanced tuning classes; use your ears; trust your body. A precise
musical tuning can MASSIVELY change a player=B9s perception of the piano.

You are not competing with liars, buffoons and hack artists, Dave.  You=B9re
so much more than they are.
Wake up.

All the best.....

David Andersen
Malibu, CA

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