Hi Bob, I'll try to be in a better mood today. I am teaching my nephew how to tune pianos and am glad that this 40YO is enjoying it. Pulling pianos up to pitch, tuning birdcages, refacing hammers, regulating etc. He's slow at the moment and I get a few calls when he is on the job. He called me 3 days ago on a piano that was 1.5 semitones below pitch, hammers wobbling all over the place and was worried because 3 of our local tuners refused to tune the piano. You know 'get a new piano this one is past it.' He played a few of the worst notes on the piano, listened over the phone and told him to tell the customer about breaking strings etc when restoring pitch etc and to quote the job and then pull the piano up to pitch. If it survives then do the work quoted. It did and he did and put the action back yesterday and the customer cried with joy because it was her mothers piano and now it sounds beautiful. So much for the piano tuners in this state. Now that statement does not apply to all piano tuners and I know some are good but it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Maybe some of them should be tested every year to see if they know what they are doing let alone their tuning skills. How come they won't let you join down under??? 35 years ago I sold a Feurich upright piano to a music teacher who fell in love with the lovely tone and tune of the piano. She was very happy with the piano and invited her piano tuner to see the piano. This tuner pulled the piano action out and found that the middle treble bar was cracked and repaired with a cover plate and bolted back to one of the backposts. (Not my repair it almost seemed like it was a factory repair) He told the customer to return the piano as it was untunable. She did and I gave her her money back. This tuner then dropped into my shop a few days later and whilst I was on the phone inspected 4 or 5 pianos and found an old birdcage with a 2" partial crack in the webbing at the top treble. Piano was built in 1890 and was holding its tune well and was the cheapest piano on the floor. I got off the phone and said Hi I'm Tony Caught how are you etc. He replied "This piano is useless, it's got a crack in the frame you can't tune it, you sell nothing but rubbish like the piano my sold to the music teacher. I told him to get out of my shop. Ten years later I went to Darwin (in northern Australia) with a contract to tune for the Education dept. and for all and sundry. Developed an upright action that allowed an upright piano play as well as a grand piano, had it tested etc. Spent 3 years in China designing pianos and setting up a factory. Returned to Darwin. Got older and decided that its is now time to go back to my home state of South Australia. Applied to join the Piano Tuners association and was told to P.O. as I threw this guy's father out of my shop 35 years ago. A few of the members were upset with this decision when they found out what had happened but ultimately the bylaws of this this thing say that all members must approve of any new member. Why try. Only 2 of the members have taken a tuning test anyway so what's the point. Can't join the National body because I'm not a member in a State. Can't join another state because I don't live there. Can't do a test because I am not a member. I have been an overseas member of the PTG off and on for over 30 years, I have been on this list on and off for 10 or 12 years and have thoroughly enjoyed the learning experience and the comradeship I have received in both places. The fact that I can't impart what I have learnt over the years to my fellow tuners at a meeting with a few beers or whatever makes me a little grumpy at times. Tony ----- Original Message ----- From: ITUNEPIANO at aol.com To: pianotech at ptg.org Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2007 11:19 AM Subject: Re: Here comes the pitch Geez, Tony. I'm sorry I caught you on a bad day. I'm not cheezed about anything, except possibly your incorrect evaluation of my post. How come they won't let you join down under??? Bob. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ See what's free at AOL.com. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.10.2/894 - Release Date: 7/10/2007 5:44 PM -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/20070711/49433c68/attachment.html
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