How Soon to Tune?

[Brian Trout]

The question that comes to my mind is, "What's the hurry?"

If the piano was prepped and ready before delivery, it may be acceptable to
most customers to go several weeks, perhaps even longer before the first
tuning.

I realize that it may be a pretty big 'IF' in some places... I have a
feeling that there are more than just a few pianos that leave showroom
floors in dire need of tuning... perhaps I'll leave you to fill in your own
details...

I don't see trying to tune it earlier (as in just a few days) as any
particular advantage over later (as in several weeks).  If it's really that
bad that it _must_ be tuned in just a few days, is it possible that it
wasn't really prepped and ready?  Or if the environment is that radically
different, it may need tuned several times anyway.?

There are so many possible variations here that a succinct one sentence
answer just won't cover all possible permutations.  (How's that for an
answer!)

$0.02

Brian Trout
Quarryville, PA
btrout@desupernet.net

----- Original Message -----
From: Jeannie Grassi <jgrassi@silverlink.net>
To: 'Pianotech' <pianotech-digest@ptg.org>
Sent: Monday, September 20, 1999 3:22 PM
Subject: How Soon to Tune?


> 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
>
>
>
>