[pianotech] "Free" PTG membership

[Duaine Hechler]

For your and others info:

I was a member for the first 7 years until my wife lost her job and we had other necessity bills to pay. In those first 
years, I found out that the majority of the discussions, journal and conventions were biased to "grands". And very 
little emphasis on any kind of uprights and also nil about the old time players. And the final last straw, was the fact 
that I will never be able to pass the tuning test - to even think about becoming an RPT.

Which brings up a point of mine - how can anyone - CLAIM - to be a - PROFESSIONAL - piano tech if (1) they refuse to 
tune ANY uprights (2) ONLY work on grands and can completely refuse ANY work on ANY rights (3) loath and refuse to work 
on (tune and other misc tech parts) of antique players.

I hope this puts an end to the reasons why my status is the way it is !

Duaine

On 01/16/2013 08:23 AM, Norman Cantrell wrote:
> Dear Mr. Hechler
>
> I find it interesting that you are perfectly willing to take advantage of the "free" services offered by PTG (hosting 
> the Pianotech mailman list) and the knowledge shared by those who participate therein yet you find it your duty to 
> complain about the political structure and the marketing emphasis of the organization.  All the while you are not 
> willing to contribute by at least joining the organization and paying your share of the dues.  It is much akin to a 
> neighbor who comes over to visit you house and complains constantly about the furniture selection, wall decor and 
> insults your wife and kids while spilling red wine all over the living room carpet.  As a non-member of PTG you are a 
> guest on the PTG sponsored discussion groups.  Please act like a guest.  Refrain from harsh and inappropriate 
> language.  It is possible that the owners might become tired of obnoxious neighbors and finally ask them to leave.
>
> Norman Cantrell, RPT
> Vice President, PTG
>
> --- On *Tue, 1/15/13, Duaine Hechler /<dahechler at att.net>/* wrote:
>
>
>     From: Duaine Hechler <dahechler at att.net>
>     Subject: Re: [pianotech] "Free" PTG membership
>     To: pianotech at ptg.org
>     Date: Tuesday, January 15, 2013, 10:46 PM
>
>     Me thinks you are justifying the RPT status so you can justify yourself in business !!!!!!
>
>     On 01/15/2013 08:34 PM, tnrwim at aol.com </mc/compose?to=tnrwim at aol.com> wrote:
>     >
>     >     DAMN - WIM - READ - OR - RE-READ THE MESSAGES I SENT IN RESPONSE TO Phil Bondi's
>     >     !!!!!
>     >
>     >     SORRY FOR THE OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE BUT ....DAMN....WILLEM......... I AM SICK TO
>     >     DEATH OF SAYING THIS ...................
>     >
>     >     WIM GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASS (SAND)  - OR - WHERE EVER YOU HAVE IT AND
>     >     ACKNOWLEDGE THAT RPT STATUS DON'T MEAN
>     >     JACK-SHIT HERE IN ST. LOUIS................
>     >
>     >     EXTREMELY SICK TO DEATH OF THIS RPT STATUS CRAP...................
>     >
>     >     Duaine
>     >
>     > I'm sure you've heard the expression. "me thinks though protests too much". So just keep saying to yourself that
>     being
>     > an RPT doesn't mean crap, and one of these days you'll actually believe it.
>     > -----Original Message-----
>     > From: Duaine Hechler <dahechler at att.net </mc/compose?to=dahechler at att.net>>
>     > To: pianotech <pianotech at ptg.org </mc/compose?to=pianotech at ptg.org>>
>     > Sent: Tue, Jan 15, 2013 4:26 pm
>     > Subject: Re: [pianotech] "Free" PTG membership
>     >
>     > On 01/15/2013 08:13 PM,tnrwim at aol.com </mc/compose?to=tnrwim at aol.com> <mailto:tnrwim at aol.com
>     </mc/compose?to=tnrwim at aol.com>> wrote:
>     > > My membership in the PTG is "free". Let me explain. I became an RPT the same
>     > reason 95% of the RPT's took the trouble,
>     > > time and money to become an RPT, in two words. "feel good". We became an RPT
>     > to make us feel good about ourselves.
>     > > Sure, in the process we became a little better at our profession, and there
>     > were some benefits, like working hard than
>     > > to keep the organization running.
>     > > In addition to feeling good about myself, once in a while I could see the
>     > benefits of being an RPT because I would get
>     > > a phone call from a customer who saw my RPT status in the Yellow Pages, or
>     > because they got my name from an other RPT
>     > > in another part of the country.
>     > > But that all changed a couple of years ago when the PTG went "public", and we
>     > got put towards the top of the Google
>     > > search engine when customers would look for a piano tuner in a certain
>     > location. Because of that, I have probably
>     > > gotten at least a dozen call every year from customers who saw me on the PTG
>     > web site. That's enough new business to
>     > > not only pay my PTG membership dues, but also registration to the PTG
>     > convention. Would I have been able to build up
>     > > my business without being a member? Probably. But those extra 12 customers
>     > every year help my bottom line.
>     > > The Google search allows a customer to search within 5 miles of your house. It
>     > probably helps that I'm only one of
>     > > three RPT's on Oahu, but there are not that many RPT's in every city in the
>     > USA and a lot of people like to get their
>     > > pianos worked on by "local" tuners.
>     > > But you won't be on the PTG web site unless you're an RPT. So, for someone
>     > like Duaine, who's business is 99% pitch
>     > > raises on old uprights, and doesn't think needs to be an RPT, I'm sure even he
>     > won't turn down and extra 10 - 15
>     > > customers every year. Word of mouth is good, but a little "free" advertising
>     > never hurt, either.
>     > > Like I said, becoming an RPT used to be for our own gratification, but now it
>     > can make you more money.
>     > > Wim
>     > DAMN - WIM - READ - OR - RE-READ THE MESSAGES I SENT IN RESPONSE TO Phil Bondi's
>     > !!!!!
>     >
>     > SORRY FOR THE OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE BUT ....DAMN....WILLEM......... I AM SICK TO
>     > DEATH OF SAYING THIS ...................
>     >
>     > WIM GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASS (SAND)  - OR - WHERE EVER YOU HAVE IT AND
>     > ACKNOWLEDGE THAT RPT STATUS DON'T MEAN
>     > JACK-SHIT HERE IN ST. LOUIS................
>     >
>     > EXTREMELY SICK TO DEATH OF THIS RPT STATUS CRAP...................
>     >
>     > Duaine
>     >
>     > --
>     > Duaine Hechler
>     > Piano, Player Piano, Pump Organ - Tuning, Servicing & Rebuilding
>     > (314) 838-5587 /dahechler at att.net </mc/compose?to=dahechler at att.net> <mailto:dahechler at att.net
>     </mc/compose?to=dahechler at att.net>> /www.hechlerpianoandorgan.com  <http://www.hechlerpianoandorgan.com>
>     > Home & Business user of Linux - 12 years
>     >
>
>
>     -- 
>     Duaine Hechler
>     Piano, Player Piano, Pump Organ - Tuning, Servicing & Rebuilding
>     (314) 838-5587 / dahechler at att.net </mc/compose?to=dahechler at att.net> / www.hechlerpianoandorgan.com
>     Home & Business user of Linux - 12 years
>


-- 
Duaine Hechler
Piano, Player Piano, Pump Organ - Tuning, Servicing & Rebuilding
(314) 838-5587 / dahechler at att.net / www.hechlerpianoandorgan.com
Home & Business user of Linux - 12 years