Hi, Roger, I completely agree with this. You've hit the proverbial nail on it's head in identifying the built-in dysfunction of having sales and service combined when trying to provide competent concert service. While the two are not necessarily diametrically opposed philosophically, they certainly seem to be operationally when one is trying to balance competent service with the understandable profit motive of the sale/marketing folks. Sadly, these latter seldom seem to comprehend that the presence of poor-quality rental pianos in any given market directly negatively affects their own sales profit...far too much magical thinking going on. On the other side, of course, is the fact that, at least in this market, employment and profit forces seem to be dictating that better technicians seldom even have access to some, perhaps many, of the "better" accounts. If the folks who work on instruments that are owned by people who do not understand proper service can afford to for the rates offered to them, then, that's better than having no work at all; and, from my perspective, no harm, no foul. We've all had those experiences. On the other hand, unless the soloist is someone in whom I have a serious interest and desire to hear, I've been known to walk out during recitals...the worse the piano/it's condition, the sooner in the evening I leave...which is why I always sit on an outside row at the back of the hall so I can leave and not disturb others who may be quite enjoying things...it's not my place to upset that moment for them. Why would I leave? If the piano is out of tune with the first few chords, or is noticeably poorly regulated or voice, it's simply not worth raising my blood pressure to stay...especially when I can go home and listen to my choice of performance of works from my fairly extensive library. The worst part for me is that I truly love live performance...I just won't put up with bad instruments. It seems to me that there are almost always too many variables in concert work, so that it truly is a situation in which one size does not fit all. If one rents pianos, one tries to have multiple instruments of the same size so that the artist can make at least something of a selection from a stock that is reasonably well in tune, reasonably well regulated and reasonably well voiced. Then, it's not at all unusual that, when you get to the hall, the acoustics there may be so very different that the artist either has to readjust their technique to fit (not our problem), or asks for things which may be well outside a reasonable range of what can be done in a given period (Brendl is justly famous for this...many others who try this stuff are only less well known). Hmmm...rattling on and it's time to warm up the Tube for the Super Bowl Festivities. Cheers! Horace At 02:00 PM 2/6/2011, you wrote: >Ryan, >The "shadow" cast on the technician is one reason I never maintained >any technician relationship with piano dealers or house pianos >unless I'm given broad service discretion. I experienced an >unfortunate incident many years ago when I was the exclusive >technician for a local concert hall. Over the years the 1919 >Steinway "D" in this hall had little service other than tuning. >During a concert a wippen jack broke. The next morning the local >newspaper wrote up an article about the wonderful performance but >"shoot the technician". I told the management that if they wanted me >to maintain their piano they would have to have it rebuilt. To my >surprise, they did! > >Local concert hall managers or franchised dealerships who provide >performance pianos to the community are, for the most part, managed >by people who have little knowledge and/or interest in the quality >of the instruments they supervise. And as such, I believe the >reason I became so successful with my performance rental business >when I came to town and put service at the top of the priorities >with my products. Renting and maintaining house pianos is best >managed in the domain of the service industry, not the sales industry. >Roger Gable >----- Original Message ----- >From: <mailto:tunerryan at gmail.com>Ryan Sowers >To: <mailto:pianotech at ptg.org>pianotech at ptg.org >Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2011 1:01 PM >Subject: Re: [pianotech] Joshua Bell - Piano Prep > >Terry, > >Maybe its just me (probably!<G>) but I always identify with the >pianos I work on. Anytime someone has something bad to say about one >of my client's pianos I take it a little personally. You did make a >point of saying some good things about the tech, but ultimately by >criticizing the piano, A shadow is cast on the technician. > >My recommendation would have been to contact the technician and get >his perspective on the piano. Then you could mention that you were >going to bring the topic to the internet forum so that he could have >a chance to give his perspective on the condition of the piano. > >I guess I'm sensitive about these things. It sounds like others >don't share my perspective, so realize its just my 2 cents, and take >it for what its worth <G> > >Ry
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