How Soon to Tune?

[Roger Jolly]

Hi Jennie,
                 I can give my store policy that works very well in this
neck of the woods.
Pianos are fully prepped usually 2 weeks after receipt, this seems to help
with the piano factories usual practice of tuning 10cents sharp. If the
piano is sharp we tune to 441 or 442, then let mother nature take it's coarse
The pianos are tuned and checked the day before delivery. And our sales
staff will play the unit for at least 10 to 15min. A kind of double check
on the service dept.
In home warranty tuning is done at least 30days but not more than 45days
after delivery.
We use professional movers, so the piano does not move very much due to the
moving.
With this policy we have very few DEAD ON ARRIVALS, and a high level of
customer satisfaction.
72hrs will not be enough time for a unit to stabilize.
Leaving the instrument for several weeks, could involve pitch raising, that
is why I insist on the pianos being done before 6 weeks.
The 3 relatively quick spaced tuning that our pianos recieve, produces very
stable results, if the customer follows our advice.
Regards Roger
               



At 12:22 PM 20/09/99 -0700, you wrote:
>Dear List,
>This came through the mail.   Any and all of your comments are
>welcome.  However, response to this question does not necessarily mean
>we will print it, but it may stimulate a good discussion.
>Thanks,
>Jeannie
>
>
>>>
> Most piano stores provide a free home tuning with piano sales.
>Usually, they have a cadre of technicians and assign these tunings
>with
>"Service Bonds" to one of their crew. The manager at one store
>instructed technicians to contact customers within ten days of the
>delivery date posted on the service bond. I did this consistently.
>Many
>times, the customer would explain that their sales person instructed
>them to wait for periods of weeks before having the piano tuned in
>order
>that the instrument become properly acclimated to its new
>surroundings.
>
>        I have discussed this waiting period with a number of other
>technicians and store salesmen and there appears to be a serious
>debate
>about the issue. I'd be interested in views of some informed parties.
>My
>own personal bias is that anything more than 72 hours would be
>unnecessary. But I'm willing to learn.
>
>        Could you run that up the flagpole and see if anyone salutes?
>
>                                        Mark Stern
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Jeannie Grassi, RPT
>Assistant Editor, Piano Technicians Journal
>mailto:jgrassi@silverlink.net
> 
Roger Jolly
BaldwinYamaha Piano Centre
Saskatoon and Regina
Saskatchewan, Canada.
306-665-0213
Fax 652-0505