A Reason To Document

[SUSAN P SWEARINGEN]

Thanks for the reply Blaine.  It makes good sense.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Blaine Hebert" <blaine.hebert@att.net>
To: "PTG Piano Technicians Guild List" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, April 19, 2003 11:39 PM
Subject: A Reason To Document


> Dear Corte,
> 
> I have been at this for 30 or 40 years, so let me throw in my $0.02:
> 
> I follow my grandfather's tradition of putting my name and tuning dates,
> usually on the bass keys.  I frequently have noticed that I was pulling
> certain pianos up 2 beats or down 2 beats, and I regularly noted this,
> or if I left the piano sharp or flat (by putting the frequency in
> parentheses if I didn't change it).  After about 10 or 15 years you
> begin to see the pattern (sooner if you are smarter than me).  Here in
> California pianos go about two beats sharp or flat if the customer uses
> heating or air conditioning, both of which dry the RH down.  Unheated
> homes in the spring or fall can be quite humid and very dry under
> air-conditioned summers or heated winters.  I try to never pull sharp
> pianos down in spring or fall and to shoot for 441 in humid weather and
> 440 in dry conditions.  All of this is carefully discussed with the
> customer as needed of course.
> 
> Now, what I'd like to know is how many tuners manage to get paid for
> those 2 beat pitch raises!
> 
> Blaine Hebert
> 
> Hello Everyone,
> 
> I have a client and I service their very old beat-up grand, which they =
> 
> got for free.  The piano isn't all that stable but still can hold tune =
> 
> reasonably well. =20
> 
> The owners claim they can't even tell when it's out of tune and that =
> they have a friend that plays it and tells them when it's time to call =
> 
> the tuner. =20
> 
> Whenever I usually get to the piano, it's usually out by 10 cents or so
> =
> (I tune it once in the summer and once in the winter).  I'm thinking of
> =
> just floating the pitch at wherever the "A" happens to be.  That would =
> 
> save me the trouble of pitch raising and adding instability to the =
> instrument (since it is so old and not in great shape).
> 
> What are the thoughts on this?  Am I, as a piano technician, not =
> servicing the customer properly if I don't always tune to A-440?  Is it
> =
> wrong to "cut corners" in this case even though the client would be =
> oblivious to it all?
> 
> Thanks,
> Corte Swearingen
> 
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