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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 25
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Was not going to comment on this thread, but fortune has it that at this very moment I'm at a school tuning what used to pass for a small Knight Upright. Once upon a time I'm sure Sir Knight was impressed with his creation... ... Right at this moment, I feel like shoving my tuning lever through the soundboard...or lack of! I've managed to get through the bass, barely... The treble right to the top C has false beats on each string that'll make the happiest of sheep shy to bleat... And I'm just about to get into my ex-temperament, ex cos I can't hear anything and TuneLab is denying any say... Tuning old worn out pianos can surely be pleasing... But not right now. This piano SUCKS!
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 219
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It's hard to screen the customers piano on the phone during scheduling. Most folks think very highly of their heirloom instrument. So, I will take the appointment and find (like I did at the last tuning of the day yesterday) a completely awful Kimball Consolette with no bench. 75 cents flat, extensive case damage and a dead soundboard. She is giving lessons for a friends twin girls. I'm there so I do the job. She is grateful and says it sounds wonderful. I have to be honest about her pianos shortcomings so I explain the issues so she understands. After she asks when to tune it again I tell her the usual "6 months to a year, however, I have done all I can to the piano and you will have to upgrade to a newer instrument or hire a technician that will perform repairs but I highly recommend you go piano shopping. Let me know if your looking at another instrument and I will check it out for you no charge". With that I can keep a good customer who respects my advice and maybe will find a better piano to teach on and I can possibly see more income than I did before with her students.
Last edited by David, Las Vegas; 11/16/12 12:08 PM. Reason: typos
David Chadwick RPT Newark, Ohio 1931 Mason Hamlin AA
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,864
4000 Post Club Member
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4000 Post Club Member
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In my experience, it can take several years of prompts to get a client to trade up. If the kids are there, I'll put the bug in their head about issues the piano has. When the kids start moaning, and I'm moaning, and the teacher is moaning, the client tends to finally trade up!
When a Client has a "starter piano" (which is my term for it) - I find out who is playing the piano and how advanced they are. If they are just starting out, I say the piano is fine for the time being, but may need to be upgraded later on, if the player progresses. If the player is already intermediate or advanced, I'll be much more direct, and persuasive.
I enjoy getting the best out of a "starter piano". a 50 cent pitch raise and a few stabs with a voicing needle, all in 90 minutes can do wonders. Besides, I get to charge more - and extra money is a good thing!
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Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 6,425
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Depends if you view your work as servicing the piano or serving the customer. Are you saying the two are mutually exclusive? Can't we do both? I think it depends on the piano and on the owner. With a good piano and an exceptional owner, there would be no difference. But consider an old upright kept at 100 cents below pitch with a few broken/missing strings in an old folks home. To service the piano, you (or somebody) would rebuild it or more likely replace it. To serve the owners you tune it where it is.
Jeff Deutschle Part-Time Tuner Who taught the first chicken how to peck?
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,677
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A simple no esoterica, no ethics, no sensitivity answer to the original question is a resounding ... no. Tuning a good piano with a coherent scale and clean sound is satisfying. Tuning one that makes your stomach turn a bit even after your best effort is just not that pleasant for me.
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,828
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6000 Post Club Member
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Ditto David.
I get a lot more satisfaction out of tuning something that is a valuable instrument; say a Yamaha C-7, Steinway D, B, etc., basically, a piano that we know that will tune well, will sound well, will play well because the client can take care of it and will and does, verses one that gets tuned once every 25 years and that's all that gets done to it.
Jerry Groot RPT Piano Technicians Guild Grand Rapids, Michigan www.grootpiano.comWe love to play BF2.
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Joined: May 2013
Posts: 376
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I approach every Customer's piano I come across as unique. I love a challenge. The worse it sounds, the harder I try to make a difference. I know what it's like to be struggling with 4 kid's mouths' to feed. The fact that the customer has a small spinet, and is a half step low, doesn't deter me. When I see a little kid try out the piano after I tune it, and to see the look on his /her face, It makes what I do worthwhile.
Making the world a better sounding place, one piano at a time...
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 6,714
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I enjoy tuning a great piano, but I also enjoy making a musician happy with the tool they are tasked with using to make music.
In a seemingly infinite universe-infinite human creativity is-seemingly possible. According to NASA, 93% of the earth like planets possible in the known universe have yet to be formed. Contact: toneman1@me.com
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 585
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No.
But there is always something to enjoy in every piano. It's good to get to know an instrument and find out how to unlock its voice. One great thing I enjoy about poor instruments is they are seldom tuned with as much attention, so the improvement can be phenomenal.
But there's nothing else like a great instrument coming into alignment..
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,562
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As others said earlier, the most important part of my job is making my customer happy. If the vehicle to that happiness is a Winter spinet, then so be it.
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 9,230
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I enjoy tuning very poor considered pianos, as Steinways, but enjoy to work for very rich customers, as Steinway owners.
One can say anything on any subject, that is fascinating...
Last edited by Olek; 05/31/13 03:44 AM.
Professional of the profession. Foo Foo specialist I wish to add some kind and sensitive phrase but nothing comes to mind.!
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Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:34 PM
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Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:23 PM
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