"Old School Teachings" - Little Story & Confession

[Farrell]

This must be the curse of the "Old School"! In the four years I have been servicing pianos, I have left maybe three pianos below A440. So what happens today? 

I go to a first time appt. - old upright - tune and glue on a few keytops - sounds suspicious. I was running late and thought, "this sounds like maybe one I can talk her into taking it to the dump". I walked in the door (house-keeper let me it) and there was the horror staring at me: spray-painted gold "antique" with some of the alligator dark finish showing through. Keys up and down and up and down and sideways. Open top. YIKES! A few hammers missing, felts missing, dampers missing, broken strings tangled about hammers and dampers. Total destruction. I though to myself (Plan A) "Ok guy, let's make short work of this - tell her it is a POS, collect a service fee and split". 

Lady (owner) walks in, and before I can say anything, she bellows "Oh, you must be the piano tuner who is going to fix my beautiful piano - I just love this piano - it sounds so beautiful - I just love the way it sounds", etc., etc. So I pause for a moment and thing to myself "Hmmmm, what is Plan B?" I did spend 42 seconds telling her she might want to consider trashing it - it didn't set too well with her. I did talk about a pitch raise - she just kinda curled her lip up - I did get out of her that no-one is taking lessons or singing or playing other instruments with it - its just her that plays it once in a while.

The short story is I tuned that thing in 45 minutes and left it 15 cents flat. It was the worst tuning I have ever done, and I even skipped the few notes in the high treble that were lacking hammers and/or hammer felt!

I still claim to be Mr. "A440 or else!", but golly gosh, I guess there are times when alternatives are in order - not often, but sometimes.

With tail between legs,

Terry Farrell
  
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <A440A@AOL.COM>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, April 23, 2002 7:43 PM
Subject: Re: "Old School Teachings"


> 
> >My question: Why is it that many "old school" piano tuners "tune it where
> >it lies". I can understand the old upright worries (although I find they
> >are usually not justified), but not a 30 year old piano. I can only assume
> >they were taught that way. Is that correct?
> 
> Greetings, 
>     I don't think so.  I would be inclined to say laziness.  Or possibly, 
> they were fearful to try to sell the more expensive work and rather than 
> explain the charges, just tuned it where it was.  Whatever, it is poor 
> workmanship and a hazard to the development of young children's sense of 
> pitch, so I consider them bums for doing it that way. (and it is still going 
> on!) 
> Regards, 
> Ed Foote RPT