[pianotech] PR follow up

[David Love]

It may be tiresome but my experience more parallels Wim's, with some
exceptions.  I think one can easily accomplish more than just an "adequate"
fine tuning after a pitch raise, even a radical one.  In order to gain the
greatest stability the piano needs to be as close as possible to the target
before the fine tuning.  If the piano is considerably off pitch that might
require a second or even a third rough pass before an attempt is made for a
fine tuning.  A firm pounding and even modest pin setting during those rough
tunings helps.  For most situations I have not found it necessary to come
back after two weeks, or even two months, concert work notwithstanding.
Whether or not in certain parts of the country a significant shift in RH can
happen during that 2 week or 2 month period is a separate issue and, of
course, will create pitch changes unrelated to the issue in question.
Insisting that the piano be tuned again in 2 weeks is overkill, in my view.
The more prudent approach would be to advise the customer that some pianos
may be slower to stabilize than others after radical pitch changes and may
require a follow up tuning.  That way if they find begin to hear some
instability they can call to schedule another tuning as they see the need
arise rather than attempting to impose an additional service call and fee on
them.  I do, in such situations, strongly recommend that they try and
maintain at least a twice a year schedule depending on how sensitive they
are to "out of tuneness".  

 

David Love

www.davidlovepianos.com

 

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of PAULREVENKOJONES at aol.com
Sent: Friday, August 28, 2009 12:43 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] PR follow up

 

 

 

In a message dated 8/28/2009 2:34:48 P.M. Central Daylight Time,
wimblees at aol.com writes:

I just received a private post from a non-member who agrees with me that a
pitch raise and fine tuning can be done in one sitting, followed with a
return visit 6 months, or even a year later. He thinks that scheduling a
follow up visit 2 weeks later is not necessary, and borders on being
unethical. While I don't necessarily think it is unethical, I do agree that
there is no need to come back in 2 weeks, if the pr and fine tuning were
done right. 

I'll say it once again, Wim, but it's tiresome. If the piano requires a
radical pitch change, you might be able to tune it adequately after the
pitch work and leave it for some (ethical) period of time before returning.
The use of the word fine in relation to a totally destabilized piano is
misleading and wishful. You need to make a distinction here.  

To be sure, if this piano is being used for a concert, and it was indeed 10
or 15 cents low, then the return visit is necessary, but only because a
return visit for a concert is SOP in the first place. But other than that,
it is not necessary.  And here's why. 

 

Pitch raise situations generally fall into two categories.

And everything in between. It's a false dichotomy. 

One is where the piano was bought by someone, and they want to get it tuned.
In this case, the previous owner had neglected the piano, and the new
customer wants to start fresh. Selling her/him a pitch raise is easy, and
the customer will be very open to having the piano tuned again in 6 months.
The other situation is where the customer hasn't had the piano tuned for 5
or 10 years, and was either told by someone the piano is badly out of tune,
or she/he has a party coming up, and wants the piano to sound good. 

 

When I was still in St. Louis, I only sent out reminder cards which asked
customers to call me to schedule an appointment. I would say only about 25%
of the pitch raise customers, including those who promised to call me in 6
months, did so. Some might call after a year. But a majority would never
call me, or maybe 4 or 5 years later. For those who just bought the piano,
maybe they called someone else, or decided the piano was a bad investment,
and sold it again. But for those who had the piano tuned for the party, will
probably not have it done again until just before their next party, 10 years
later. They just don't hear it, and it's not important to them to have the
piano tuned that often. 

 

Now that I pre-scheduled appointments, half of those I pre-schedule 6 months
later will call me to cancel the appointment. The others will have me come,
but question whether or not it needs it. 

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

 

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