Customer Satisfaction

[David Ilvedson]

Often the first tenor notes will be a little brighter than the last bass strings.   It sounds like on you're piano it is muddier...i.e. not as much life?  Try moving an adjacent hammer over.   File the original hammer...maybe a "DROP" of hardner on that hammer if you are trying to brighten the tone...file first..fit to string

David Ilvedson, RPT

Pacifica, CA 94044









Original message

From: "Matthew Todd" 

To: "Pianotech List" 

Received: 7/4/2008 3:50:53 AM

Subject: Re: Customer Satisfaction





So, I have returned from the dreaded appointment.  It actually went pretty fair.  I tried several things on the note she was complaining about, but I don't really think it did much.  She actually said it improved, but it really didn't.  But hey, if she said it did, I wasn't going to argue with her.



The note in question is D-30.  The piano is a Baldwin grand, and the D is the note just before the copper wound strings.  I did two things to the note.



I spent some time voicing, and then I made sure the knuckle and jack relationship was where it is supposed to be.  It was off some.



If you were to play a D Major scale, by the time you hit D-30, it just doesn't quite match the previous notes.  It doesn't quite have the "life" the others have.  It is not bad.  In fact, if she didn't point it out to me (I wish she hadn't!) I wouldn't have noticed it when I tuned it a month ago.  There is just a little "thud" when you play it.  Or like the note is sounding with just a little less force and volume than the rest.  She demonstrated the way it sounds to her by playing a Sonata she had been practicing.  In the piece she is repeating the D, and that is how she probably discovered it.



I know this will be difficult to diagnose over the internet, and it is definitely not something severe that calls for another tech, but it is a good learning experience for me, and I did tell her I wasn't going to give up, or call her "picky" or "crazy".



Thanks!

Matthew



Michael Kurta <mkurta at roadrunner.com> wrote:

    Matthew:

    First, get a clear explanation and demonstration from the customer as to their complaint.  Some folks have a hard time explaining so you'll need to help them with this.  You need all the information you can get to diagnose accurately.  Second try your best to remedy their problem.  95% of complaints are real and noticeable to the player, though there are some which may not be correctable, and others that are imagined.  

    Failing your efforts to make them happy, call upon another, more experienced tech to help, even if you have to pay for their time.  Chalk it up to training as we've all had to do this once in awhile.  Sometimes a second opinion will reinforce your solution, and the customer will be satisfied.  

    My favorite motto is:  "The customer isn't always right, but they're always the customer."  Good Luck and let us know how it all worked out.

    Mike Kurta, RPT

    Syracuse chapter 

    Moving to the Chicago chapter August 1.
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