[pianotech] Striving for the "wow" factor, was Re: Exams discussion - Odd?

[Paul McCloud]

Terry:
I don't know about a "wow" factor, but I totally agree with you.  There's a subtle factor going on when you always strive to do your best job.  It's the same thing I got when I passed the RPT test.  It's the "I KNOW what I'm doing, and I PROVED it" syndrome.  It's a confidence that you get in yourself, and the customer can sense it too.  When you always do your best job, your reputation spreads.  As a matter of fact, doing your best job on a spinet is even more important, since there are so many compromises that a slight tuning error can really stand out.  Add to it the fact that they are often unstable and unison tuning is really hard to nail down.  Can you "get away with" a low quality tuning?  Sure.  But wait until Aunt Gertrude, the concert pianist comes to town and plays it.  You won't know about it, but they'll call someone else next time.
Just my take.
Paul McCloud
San Diego

----- Original Message -----
From: "Terry Beckingham" <t46xd8jb at xplornet.com>
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Sent: Monday, May 14, 2012 12:20:09 PM
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Striving for the "wow" factor, was Re:  Exams  discussion - Odd?

I'm not sure, but I think it was William Braid White who said that every 
tuning should be a concert tuning. That is to say that every tuning should 
be done as well as possible. That's the way I do it.

Terry Beckingham RPT

At 02:43 PM 5/14/2012 -0400, you wrote:

>If you're not striving for a "wow" factor when you tune even a Winter 
>spinet or a beat up old upright, then you're not doing your job. As Will 
>said, I tune pianos for my satisfaction. If it makes the customer happy, 
>that's a side benefit. And hopefully she will recommend me to her friends 
>and relatives, because that's how I built my customer base. But if the 
>piano doesn't satisfy my ear, then I've not done a good job. And it's 
>amazing how well even the Winter spinet can sound when it's in tune.
>
>Now, if you don't care about building a tuning clientele, and all you're 
>interested in is repairing player pianos and pump organs, then that's your 
>choice. But don't degrade those of us for whom tuning is an honored and 
>respected profession, and who take pride in our work.
>
>Speaking of players and pump organs. I'm glad you're still interested in 
>doing this kind of work, because there are fewer and fewer old player 
>pianos left, and it is a dying profession. As much as the PTG would like 
>to offer more classes and articles on those instruments, like any other 
>product, if there is limited demand, it's not going to get featured. By 
>the same token, while we respect your abilities to do your work, and don't 
>question your reasons for doing it, please respect the work aural tuners 
>do, and don't question, much less degrade, their work.
>Wim
>