Funny Tuner Stories

[Kenneth W. Burton]

	Bill,

	Thanks for the suggestion about another book of "Funny and Amazing
Stories From Piano Technicians." I have been toying with the idea. I could
call it TOONER TALES II.
	But it's not that easy. The first TOONER TALES contains over 150
stories, many from my own experience and that of other members of our PTG
Chapter. To complete the number, I recorded 43 more stories at the
Dearborn National Convention two years ago.
	I've been collecting the ones posted on this list but I'm far from
150.

	Ken Burton "Doctor Piano" Calgary Alberta

On Thu, 23 Apr 1998, Bill Ballard wrote:

> 
> I heard this story from someone who had apprenticed with the late Tony
> Novinski of KC, MO. He did his first tuning on an old upright for a sweet
> old lady. It involved a pitch raise of 100¢. They agreed he would tune it
> on a regular basis from then on . However, things fell apart at that second
> tuning. She refused top pay him for it, saying, "It wasn't a real tuning.
> It didn't sound like a trombone." He left in a blue streak.
> 
> I was squeak-chasing the trapwork of a M&H AA in the home of  fine and
> righteous fmaily. She was the HS chorus director, he was the professor of
> low brass at the State College in town. They had two teenage daugthers. On
> the pedal rod guide bar, I found a dessicated but clearly used
> prophylactic. The husband was at home so I pointed it out to him. I was
> expecting the twinkle in my eye to be contagious, but  it wasn't. Just a
> straight poker face. I didn't get to do another tuning there.
> 
> Looks like Jim Burton gets to publish a volume two with minimal effort.  ;-)
> 
> Bill Ballard, RPT
> New Hampshire Chapter, PTG
> 
> "Remember, men, you're fighting for this lady's honor. Which is more than
> she ever did."
> 	 Groucho Marx in "Duck Soup"
> 
> 
>