A-440 and Ethics.

[Farrell]

Ahhh, Dean, Vinney said that he does not have the use of his sense of sight
and tunes aurally - RCT may not be the ticket here.

I agree with you that for most folks, it is best to float the pitch between
seasons (and try to sell them humidity control!).

But for a piano that has not been tuned in years and is flat, 98% of the
time I can sell them a pitch raise. One of the few times that I have left a
piano below pitch was just today. Little old lady with a Sorry & Clunk
console with a note from her old piano tuner in Virginia - DO NOT RAISE
PITCH (taped to the pinblock top) - she doesn't practice singing for the
church choir, she doesn't play to recorded music. She isn't taking lessons.
She doesn't have any jam sessions. And her bass strings actually sounded OK
(relatively speaking, of course) at a quarter step flat. I gave her the
option and she preferred to leave it flat. So that's what we did.

Terry Farrell

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dean May" <deanmay@pianorebuilders.com>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, November 05, 2004 6:06 PM
Subject: RE: A-440 and Ethics.


> People don't want to pay for pitch raises if they are having their pianos
> tuned regularly. But if it has been 5 to 10 years most people expect to
pay
> more to get their piano in shape. For the regulars, use Reyburn Cyber
Tuner.
> It makes short work of pitch adjustments. It will also produce excellent
> regular tunings for you to give you the confidence you need to fill the
> other guy's shoes until you become registered.
>
> If you are seeing excessive swings on a twice a year customer, then by all
> means do not put it back to 440 every time. Split the difference. If it is
> +25 in the summer and -25 in the winter, tune it to +12 and -12
> respectively.
>
> Dean
> Dean May             cell 812.239.3359
> PianoRebuilders.com   812.235.5272
> Terre Haute IN  47802
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]On
Behalf
> Of Vinny Samarco
> Sent: Thursday, November 04, 2004 5:21 PM
> To: Pianotech
> Subject: A-440 and Ethics.
>
> Hi Everyone,
> I have a dilemma.  Several months ago, the local tuner in this rural area
> moved away and asked me to take over his business.  I have had good
> training, but not yet enough to be registered.
> This man is a fabulous technician, however, his policy was to leave pianos
> where they  are as far as pitch is concerned-except for the local concert
> hall, and the few fine musicians and teachers in the area who would care
> about such things.
> As he told me when he left, "people don't want to pay for pitch raises."
>         I have found this to be the case.  I don't have time to put
> everyone's piano to standard pitch when they don't care if it is a440, or
> a-435.  In this area of the country, the winters are very cold and the
> humidity drops accordingly.  Most people don't want to put the money into
> damp chasers either.    So with dry wood or propane heat, I will be
putting
> in new tuning pins  in a few years.
>     So, what is the balance between always making sure pianos are at 440,
> (as I was taught) and giving the customers what they want or don't want?
>     By the way, I am blind and use my fork to set pitch, so I'm not sure I
> can do pitch raises as quickly as those of you who use etds.
>             Vinny
>
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