Help with "bad" tuning...need help

[David Ilvedson]

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That is exactly correct.  I am working hard at truthfully telling=
 customers my "disclaimer" before I touch a tuning pin.   I use=
 the word "disclaimer".   They can relate to it.   Things can=
 happen during a pitch raise that are out of my control.  Strings=
 can break, the tuning will be rough...this isn't fine tuning.  I=
 will do the best I can but be prepared to re-tune at anytime=
 between now and 6 months.   I typically will call them in 6=
 months.   NO one has a problem with this.   They know they've=
 let the tuning go for too long and are prepared to pay for what=
 is needed to bring it around.   No one has, but if they seem=
 skeptical, I explain it again and then walk if I'm=
 un-comfortable with the situation.   I also think the written=
 material is a great idea I have yet to use...
David I.
However you decide to handle a pitch raise, what James Grebe said=
 I think is good. Make it specifically (rather than casually)=
 known up-front what the customer should expect as far as what is=
 required from you to get the piano in tune (as he says, "another=
 tuning in 2 weeks and then 3 months").

- John



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

piano=92s and typically I am tuning the older piano=92s and some=
 new/better

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

that had never been tuned =91in a long time=92. 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 =91the piano is still out of tune and you must=
 not

have checked it before you left=92.  Before I left I told him,=
 =91your 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.

 

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

do a =91free=92 fix it up tuning, or tell him, he has to pay for a 2
nd
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=92t go back and =91fix=92 this, I am=
 going to get that

reputation and the other PTG member might tell others about the=
 =91part time=92 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.

 

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.

 

Any advice, thoughts?

 

Thanks.

Doug Renz

Associate PTG member, Rochester, NY


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