pitch raising survey

[Brian Holden]

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Yes, I certainly would!  Here is an an article I give to my customers,
Brian Holden

-----Original Message-----
From: Clyde Hollinger <cedel@supernet.com>
To: pianotech@ptg.org <pianotech@ptg.org>
Date: Thursday, 9 March 2000 2:22
Subject: Re: pitch raising survey


>I talked with a technician once who charges double the tuning rate if the
piano
>is 50 cents flat, and doubles the charge again if it's 100 cents flat.  For
>example, if the tuning charge were $70, then a 100-cent pitchraise and
tuning
>would be $280.  Now I've been told we can never call anything regarding
pricing
>unethical, but if I were on the receiving end of that deal, I'd feel ripped
off
>for sure.
>
>My personal practice is to charge for work actually performed.  I don't
jack up
>the charge for everyone with the assumption that I will have to do a
pitchraise.
>I suppose that could be done fiarly if you give a discount when a
pitchraise is
>not needed.  I also don't do much for free.  They pay for what they get.
>
>Regards,
>Clyde Hollinger
>
>Bdshull@AOL.COM wrote:
>
>>  List:
>>
>> I finally couldn't resist putting in my two cents (or 5) worth:
>>
>> I've been thinking about this for a while, and this thread has encouraged
me
>> to make a decision.  After charging 10 bucks extra for pitch compensation
for
>> the last 15 years (real smart, 10 buck 15 years ago was a lot more than
it is
>> today), I am going to raise my fee for the pitch raise substantially.
What I
>> have done in the past is to charge a first time fee for whatever the
piano
>> needed - straight tuning, pitch raise, lowering, whatever - and on repeat
>> tunings stick to my base rate if the piano is tuned annually or more
>> frequently.  Not too bad except that I end up doing a lot of pitch raises
for
>> no extra charge.  Now I am going to raise the pitch raise fee and
guarantee
>> my base rate only if there is a working climate control system in the
piano.
>>
>> I just tuned a U1 today which has had a system in it since new 15 years a
go.
>> Winter dryness hadn't budged this piano from A440, all across the scale.
As
>> long as I replace the pads it is rock stable. Typical of my Damppchaser
>> system pianos.
>>
>> Considering the effectiveness of a humidity control system in a piano, I
am
>> going to reward my clients who have it with a predictable tuning
maintenance
>> fee.  The humidity system preserves the piano, the tuning and my sanity
>> (especially with the Steinway uprights, which are big headaches without
>> humidity systems).
>>
>> Bill Shull
>> University of Redlands, La Sierra University, Riverside City College
>>
>> In a message dated 3/7/00 8:53:00 PM Pacific Standard Time,
>> keyboard@cysource.com writes:
>>
>> << >Just wondering, at what point do techs start charging for pitch
raises?
>> (or
>>  >lowering)
>>  >I always include a little pitching in my standard tuning fee but what
is a
>>  >little? I believe if a customer has failed to keep the piano tuned they
>> need
>>  >to pay for the extra work. It is normally expected for the pitch to
drift
>>  >some between schedule tunes but how far until we start charging for
those
>>  >pitch fees? Care to comment?
>>  >BP
>>
>> > At this point it looks like tuning any piano that is over 5 cents low
is a
>>  pitch raise in most opinions.  To me, that means that every piano tuning
is
>>  a pitch raise because I can't remember when I have found a piano that
was
>>  less that 5 cents off.  I guess maybe "one price fits all".
>>
>>  Dave>
>>   >>
>
>

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