OH! I forgot to mention, Bill, that by having a policy to do 2 visits on every pitch raise (for me, about 10c is the "magic number", if it's been longer than a year since the piano was tuned), I don't really have to think too much about the "magic number" in terms of whether I can get by with a single-visit pitch correction and tuning in one visit. I guess I base my decision on a combination of where the pitch is, and how long the customer has neglected service. Of course, if I find a piano that hasn't been tuned in more than a year and it's only 5c off, I won't do 2 appointments. That, in my opinion, WOULD constitute gouging. Scott ------ Scott A. Helms, Registered Piano Technician 480-818-3871 www.helmsmusic.net > > Hi Paul, Ah, Vacation!!? Always sounds nice... sorry to bother. > > I understand your concern for list "hard" numbers.? I'm just > looking for some ballpark ideas.? No guarantees.? Rough SWAG's. > (Scientific Wild Axx Guesses)? Guidelines. > > > > I get a fair number of "I'm not sure when it was tuned last" answers, > & I'm in the process of rethinking the "pitch raise & tune" 1-visit. > > > > And any suggestions or guidelines I can get might give the customer > (and me) a better tuning... aka break the previous 1-visit into > 2 separate "standard charge" tunings about 4 weeks apart, > which are characterized by a pitch raise or two & a rough tune... > and then a 2nd visit which could be a minor pitch raise & "fine tune". > > > > But I do not want to overwork the customer's budget & good faith. > > Thank you very much...?? Bill Fritz > > > From: PAULREVENKOJONES at aol.com > Subject: Re: [pianotech] Clarification Question:? i'll take a pass > > Bill: > ? > I am on vacation right now and if I have time when I return I'll consider > whether I have answers to your questions. Let me say now that I rarely put > numbers to these things and have found it dangerous and unprofitable when? > giving advice. > ? > Also, there is no contradiction between what I said in GR and what I said? > in the post. I pull the piano all the way up (overpulled) on the first > pass? > every time. It may take another stabilizing pitch pass before attempting? > any kind of decent tuning. Wherein do you see a conflict? > ? > Paul > ? > ? > In a message dated 8/25/2009 10:59:32 A.M. Central Daylight Time,? > pianofritz50 at aol.com writes: > > Hi Paul, > ? > I very much appreciated our conversations during the Convention about? > this > subject, and I think I remember you said that one should? pitch raise to > A440, rather than take the piano up slowly over a series of? periodic > tunings... but I'm a somewhat confused w/ your posting of the? following > vs the > PTG Convention statement.? > ? > I'm wondering if you could please clarify a few points indicated by the? > >>: > ? > I know? it's possible to raise the pitch & fine tuning in one visit. > However, just because you CAN do it doesn't mean that you SHOULD do it. > I personally disagree with this sentiment as a generalization.? It's? > possible to raise the pitch and adequately tune the piano in one sitting? > if the raise is not ridiculously excessive. > ? >>>? What's the ballpark -xx cents number you're talking about being > "ridiculously excessive"? > ? > It may be possible to raise the pitch and "fine tune" if the raise is > within a narrow range. > ? >>>? Ballpark -xx cents number for this "fine tune" situation? > ? > Concert work often calls for the latter.? Johnny's home piano is typical > of > the former. And if Johnny is any good, plan on coming back in a month or > so to do a more than > adequate tuning. Radically flat pianos won't really stabilize for? several > tunings.? > ? >>>? What negative? cents numbers are "radical", that would need "several > tunings"... over what period of time? > ? >>>? Maybe one final? question...?? could you provide a differentiation of > "adequate" and? "fine tune"... either in "cents" or some other > quantitative > answer (aka? stability over time, or whatever) > ? > Thank you very much...?? Bill Fritz, StLouis Chapter > >
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