[pianotech] Pitch raise criteria

[David Ilvedson]

Jeez, am I mad at you... '-]   I make as little change to the piano as I can.   2 cents off?   I'd tune it where it was...or one pass.   2 passes if I've got about a 7 cent change...4 cents will have about a 1 cent change...

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA  94044

----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: "John Ross" <jrpiano at win.eastlink.ca>
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Received: 8/2/2009 5:03:12 AM
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Pitch raise criteria


>This may be heresy to some, and they are going to be mad at me, but I just have to 
>say it.
>But I just can't see a pitch raise being necessary for a 2c change.
>If it is a concert venue, the stage lights can make it vary more than that.
>When I started, statements like that kind of scared me, I couldn't possibly get that 
>kind of accuracy.
>Then I decided, I wasn't going to worry about it.
>Let us be real, except for concert technician situations, a one of concert, it isn't 
>necessary.
>If a piano is a lot out of pitch, then that customer doesn't really need, the superfine 
>tuning, so you are wasting their money, and your time. They obviously don't need it.
>How many times have you been called out, to be told, it has been a few years since 
>it was tuned, and it is still almost spot on?
>I have this niggling feeling, that the people that make these 1 and 2 cent 
>statements, are trying to show people how good they are.
>Different customers need different things, so tune and charge for the service 
>REQUIRED by the customer, not by your needs to pay your bills.
>Mostly for pitch raises, I will tell them to call me back in a month or two, as we are on 
>a catch up situation, due to the too long a time between tunings. I also tell them 
>that because of the humidity changes, it never really stays in tune anyway. 
>So once again, why the need for a pitch raise every time a piano is tuned?
>MOST people don't need it.
>Oh to be fair, that depends on your clientele.
>Most people won't be able to hear this 1 and 2 cent discrepancy.
>So anyone new in the business, don't be put off by some of the claims made.
>If your customers keep calling you back, then you are doing the job correctly for 
>them.
>Oh yes, this is my 20th year for a University contract, that is given out yearly. I 
>retired from it for a year on my 70 the birthday, but missed doing it, and they 
>encouraged me to apply again, as they had always been satisfied with my work. So I 
>did, and I have it back.
>The pianos, under a lot of you, would have needed a pitch raise every time I tuned 
>them, but the most I ever did was double tune to some areas. 40 pianos done twice 
>a year, and 3 of them concert grands, done 10 times or more in the school year.
>Some of the other tunings at the university were for concerts, and recordings.
>With the seasons here, it makes no sense to do a pitch raise for anything under say 
>20 cents, and that is a guess. 
>If it is out any amount I say you left it too long call me in a month or two, or if you 
>notice it sooner.
>I also tell them, not to tune it through the summer, but to wait till the heat is on in 
>the Fall.
>Different strokes for different folks, customers and tuners.
>Oh yes, funny thing, I will probably get no comments on this. I don't know if it is 
>because people see my name and erase it, or don't want to be seen as agreeing 
>with me. LOL
>John Ross
>Windsor, Nova Scotia
>  ----- Original Message ----- 
>  From: Terry Farrell 
>  To: pianotech at ptg.org 
>  Sent: Sunday, August 02, 2009 6:24 AM
>  Subject: Re: [pianotech] Pitch raise criteria


>  Don't sweat it too much Rob. Some of us seem to never really get into the "high 
>speed" category. Now maybe there's something wrong with me (well, we KNOW 
>that!) but I've been tuning pianos for more than ten years now and on a regular 
>basis it take me two hours to do a full pitch raise and tuning on a piano that has 
>been neglected from some years. If the piano is up to pitch, it usually takes me 75 
>minutes to tune it - sometimes, if the piano is very cooperative, I can do it in an 
>hour.


>  These guys that pitch raise, tune and repair a piano in one hour (and do good 
>work), have skills and techniques beyond what I have. I wish I could work that fast. 
>I've gone to the speed classes and the techniques I've tried just haven't worked for 
>me.


>  Terry Farrell


>  On Aug 1, 2009, at 10:24 PM, John Formsma wrote:


>    On Sat, Aug 1, 2009 at 9:13 PM, Rob McCall <rob at mccallpiano.com> wrote:

>      Jer,

>      I still don't see how you can do all that in an hour! :-) I'm still taking about 2 
>hours, sometimes 10-15 minutes longer on the more difficult pianos.  I guess my time 
>will come down with more experience.