John, Our experiences before full time in the piano business are quite similar but i couldn't have expressed the differences any better than you just did. Well done! Greg Newell ( a recovering service station owner) At 04:10 PM 6/27/2006, you wrote: >Hello list, > >This is the resolution of my post about the key >bushings becoming tight on a piano after it had >been moved to another room and then moved >back. I rebushed 6 of them and the piano plays well again. > >Suggestions concerning humidity in the other >room turned out to be right on the money. I >asked the owner about that. In fact, it wasn't >moved to another "room" but rather to the porch >OUTSIDE of the bedroom, and covered with a >tarp! Just at that point in time the weather >here turned VERY rainy. So that must've been a >real steam bath underneath the tarp there, with >the tarp holding IN condensation! > >While servicing this piano it occured to me >again what a great business this is! When I >contemplated entering this field some 5 or 6 >years ago, an RPT buddy of mine in Denver, Randy >Karasik, told me that I'd love it. And I do. He >knew me when I was an automobile mechanic, and >said that the customers are SO DIFFERENT from >what I was used to there. As an auto mechanic, >I was often distrusted until people got to know >me. And even then, people don't WANT to give >you money to work on their cars, they HAVE to, >and they kind of resent the expense. Contrast >that to piano owners who often LOOK FORWARD to having their pianos improved! > >And gosh'a'mighty, I never had automotive >customers bring me soda and cookies while I >worked, like the lady did just now! And it >didn't stop there, either. She remembered from >when I gave her daughter piano lessons that >sometimes I'd challenge the student to see who >could play a particular piece better at the next >week's lesson. (I'm a better teacher than a >player.) And we'd bet a candy bar on the >outcome. So they remember I like York >peppermint patties and they just gave me a bag >to go! And that was IN ADDITION to putting a $10 tip on the check. > >And the conditions of the workplace! No hot >exhausts, no rust chips in my eyes, no 50K volt >jolts from electronic ignitions, no grease that >never comes completely out of your hands no >matter how you scrub, no beat-up, bruised and >scabbed hands, and no ice water dripping down >your neck and back while you work underneath in >the winter time. No bench-pressing a greasy >transmission into position. And basically, just >a WHOLE LOT LESS cussin' and fussin'. Ahhh. Did >I mention I love this business? I hope we never >take it for granted what a wonderful and >sometimes even lucrative trade we enjoy! > >Thanks for letting me vent that. I was about to burst. > >Hope everybody made it back safe from the >convention. I'll be there next year. > >John Dorr >Helena, MT > > Greg Newell Greg's Piano Forté mailto:gnewell at ameritech.net www.gregspianoforte.com
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