ball fitting for tuning hammer

[pryan2]

I'm a floor tuner for a large piano store in Miami.  I am paid on an hourly
basis, not per tuning.  My job is to tune all the new pianos when they are
taken out of the crates and then keep all of the other pianos in tune.  I
can choose any piano I want to tune or re-tune.  Some pianos I have tuned
two or three times, others only once.  At other times I am free to go on
home tunings, both free and charge customers.  I usually tune four pianos a
day, and maybe I touch up two or three others that have notes out of tune.
In general, all of the pianos are in pretty good shape.  It works well for
both of us.

Phil Ryan
Miami Beach
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Charly Tuner" <charly_tuner@hotmail.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, April 06, 2000 11:01 PM
Subject: ball fitting for tuning hammer


> Hi all,
>
> I just wanted to let those who have not tried the "ball" fitting on the
end
> of the tuning hammer handle....it's INCREDIBLE! I could never go back to a
> regular handle. It makes manipulating the hammer so much easier, without
> sacrificing any control; it actually gives me even more control. It really
> is like a car shifter..just think how hard it would be to shift without
the
> knob! And because it's a wood ball, (just a tad smaller than a billiard
> ball), there is no noticeable difference in weight.
> Oh, by the way, I finally talked the manager of the store where I'm a
floor
> tuner, to keep the tall blinds CLOSED, (upstairs)at least during the day
to
> keep the sun & heat off the pianos! These are HUGE picture windows on both
> sides of the upstairs showroom.  I'm hoping this will keep the pianos in
> tune a bit longer as it's been very frustrating tuning a piano, then
finding
> it's out in just a few days or so from the direct sunlight. Next I hope
they
> will do something about the humidity fluxuations...but that's wishful
> thinking. Also, for those of you who are/have worked as a floor tuner, do
> you get paid to tune pianos only ONCE, or if it's still unsold after
several
> months, and needs a tuning again, will they usually pay you to tune it
> again? This is beginning to be the situation at my store as we have soooo
> many pianos; yes, many do sell, but quite a few go UNsold for months, and
> need to be re-tuned. I just hope that the manager(s) realize that a
piano's
> first floor tuning...especially that of a NEW piano, will not stay in tune
> for very long, due to so many factors which you all know so well. If
anyone
> can give me some advice/tips on how to approach management with this
> problem, I'd appreciate it.
>
> Terry
>
>
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