need some opinions

[Willem Blees]

Les, and Barbara

In my opinion, having two tuners service one piano, especially in a setting as a large church, is like going to two different doctors, each giving you contradicting advice, and then complaining to the other how bad you feel. It's bad enough to have to fight the effects of the HVAC system, but to have to fight the effects of another tuner is even worse. 


Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT
Piano Tuner/Technician
Honolulu, HI
808-349-2943
www.bleespiano.com
Author of 
The Business of Piano Tuning
available from Potter Press
www.pianotuning.com


-----Original Message-----
From: Leslie Bartlett <l-bartlett at sbcglobal.net>
To: Barbara Jones <greggj at airmail.net>; Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Fri, 4 Jul 2008 3:51 am
Subject: need some opinions


I have been a tuner for a large church in town, the other tuner having retired. I learned that actually was not quite the case. I have been sharing the tunings with another tuner in the city. The church's pianist indicated some time ago she wished me to come with her and tell her why she "hated the Steinway"...... Well, it was tuned to 440, while the pipe organ was about 13 cents flat.................. So having fixed the disparity (not tuning the pipe organ, to be sure), the Steinway seemed quite more agreeable.?
?
For a major recent concert the piano was tuned by the other tuner. I was called this week to "bring the piano up to pitch" because a major concert venue was to use it this weekend. Here is what I found. The variance was from +17 cents, to -23 cents, most of the top octave being 20 or more cents flat, and the low-to mid sections being mostly 6-to-ten cents sharp. My typical tunings of that piano will vary as much as seven cents over three-four months in a worship room seating nearly 1000, and in which the heating/air conditioning is on/off, on/off, depending on whether the room is being used.?
?
I informed the pianist that I could not share such tunings with another tuner because it would ultimately affect the piano, and could affect the reputations of two tuners. I would appreciate some opinions as to the veracity (or not) of my statements. If you would "reply all", then your responses will also go to the pianist of the church, unedited by myself. Thanks?
les bartlett?
houston?
>?


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