Help with "bad" tuning...need help

[James Grebe]

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Hi Doug,
Yes, do go back and touch up the tuning.  Always explain before a pitch =
raise that it is just the first of several tunings to raise the pitch =
and stabilize the tuning.  Myself, I tell them on anything over 25% low =
is a pitch raise now.  Another tuning in 2 weeks and then in 3 months.  =
I do not do a pitch raise unless they thoroughly understand this.  I =
write my own brochures and it explains all about the peculiarities of a =
pitch raised piano and the expectations of such.  You will learn how to =
be firm and exude confidence in your words with time and will come to =
not be afraid to speak your truth of pianos and why they go out of tune.
Jim
James Grebe
Piano-Forte Tuning & Repair
Creator of Handsome Hardwood Caster Cups
(314) 608-4137
WWW.JamesGrebe.com
1526 Raspberry Lane
Arnold, MO 63010
BECOME WHAT YOU BELIEVE!
pianoman@accessus.net
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Doug Renz Piano Tuning=20
  To: pianotech@ptg.org=20
  Sent: Monday, December 13, 2004 7:51 PM
  Subject: Help with "bad" tuning...need help


  As a new piano tuner, I am learning a lot as I go and tune different

  piano's and typically I am tuning the older piano's and some =
new/better

  ones.  This past Sat. I tuned a piano for a home that had a console

  that had never been tuned 'in a long time'. I warned them that I might

  break strings and that it will go out of tune quickly because of the =
condition

  of the strings and the piano itself. Well I was called back by

  the customer saying 'the piano is still out of tune and you must not

  have checked it before you left'.  Before I left I told him, 'your =
piano

  is most likely going to go flat somewhat because it has not been tuned

  at all in such a long time (20+ yrs) and that it should tuned every 6 =
months. The

  piano was old and recently had some action work, but the strings =
looked

  old and dirty.  I was careful not to break any strings and when I left =
it sounded

  good and the funny thing was the customer said it sounded good after I =
finished.

  It was not that out of tune, A440 sounded like it was between g-sharp =
and a, but

  not an entire half/step off.

  =20

  So, what do I do now? Has anyone been in my shoes before? Go back and

  do a 'free' fix it up tuning, or tell him, he has to pay for a 2nd =
tuning. Is this

  going to risk my reputation? He had the action done by another local =
PTG member

  and I am afraid that if I don't go back and 'fix' this, I am going to =
get that

  reputation and the other PTG member might tell others about the 'part =
time' tooner,

  which I do not want to be and this is why I joined the PTG, to get =
better. Any

  thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.

  =20

  I thought the tuning was good, inspite of the condition of the piano =
and the strings.

  It sounded alot better, but I knew it was going to need another tuning =
soon.

  =20

  Any advice, thoughts?

  =20

  Thanks.

  Doug Renz

  Associate PTG member, Rochester, NY

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