THE best RPT in America (rant)

[pianotune05]

I wonder if this RPT is on this list and has anything to add. like,'Just 
kidding, ' or Sorry guys, I'm not any better than anyone else." etc.
Marshall
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Conrad Hoffsommer" <hoffsoco at luther.edu>
To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, June 15, 2006 10:35 AM
Subject: Re: THE best RPT in America (rant)


> Tom,
>
> At 06:33 AM 6/15/2006 -0700, you wrote:
>>List
>>What do you think about an RPT whom I met recently?  Below are some of his 
>>comments that I found...interesting.
>>
>>1.  Only one or two clients per month can "appreciate" the really fine 
>>tuning he is capable of, so he feels that "as long as the unisons and 
>>octaves are close" that's good enough for the rest of them.
>
>
> This could be true, but if he's only "capable of" and not always "doing" 
> that fine tuning, what happens if the two groups of customers are not 
> mutually exclusive? People _do_ talk.
>
>>2.  Informed me that he never bothered to learn how to splice a string. 
>>His scores on the other areas of the RPT Technical Exam were high enough 
>>that he passed without even attempting it.
>
>
> They can be spliced?? Quick, hand me that marlinspike!
>
>>3.  Told me that his hearing is "too good".  "I actually hear coincidental 
>>partials!  When I use a M3/M10 test on an octave, I actually hear the 
>>coincidental partials beating!"  (WOW!  Imagine that!  Now there's a set 
>>of ears!)
>
>
> Surprised he didn't claim he could SEE them beating...
>
>>4.  Told me he covets the job of tuning for his local symphony orchestra, 
>>and regarding the guy who has the gig, "I can't figure out how he got the 
>>position. I've heard his work.  I do a much better job."
>
>
> Coveting is not a good thing. Check out the Ten Commandments...
>
>>5.  Hired to tune pianos in a warehouse (with me and 4 other tuners), he 
>>tuned two pianos in 7 hours.  (I tuned 6.)
>
>
> One of the best reasons to hire on a per tuning basis. (For your sake, 
> Tom, I sure hope they did!)
>
>>"I don't want to scratch the plate.  That's why I use both hands." (Am I 
>>super-coordinated or something, that I am able to move the tuning lever 
>>from one pin to the next without scratching the plate?
>
>
> Yes, you are, and you should have demonstrated your superiority ;-}
>
>>Or is this just another Associate-related bad habit?  I couldn't even 
>>think of a way to comment on his detuning of each string without insulting 
>>him.)
>
>
> Thank him for making sure that there were no corrosion bonds anywhere 
> along the strings and for increasing the pool of pianos which need 
> repinning or rebuilding by single(er.. double?)-handedly wearing out 
> pinblocks.
>
>>6.  Claimed that Virgil Smith told him that he tuned as well as Virgil 
>>himself and that he could teach him nothing.  (Except perhaps the one 
>>thing Virgil should have taught him: to do the best he can on every piano, 
>>whether he thinks the client can "appreciate" it, or not.)
>
>
> See Mother's comment on this one.
>
>>7.  Wore a tie (with the RPT logo on the tie tac) every day to the 
>>warehouse while the rest of us wore Tshirts and shorts.  (OK, at this 
>>point, every little thing about this guy bugged me...my apologies to all 
>>you logo-bearing-tie-tac-wearing RPTs out there.)
>
>
> He wasn't afraid that the tie tack would scratch the plate or case?  After 
> all, both his hands were busy on the tuning hammer and when he leans over 
> that grand to move the hammer... Oh! The Horror!!
>
>>8.  Claimed he won an award from his chapter for passing his RPT exam 
>>quicker than anyone EVER had in the past.  (Less than 4 years...and...NO 
>>STRINGS WERE SPLICED during the production of this RPT!)
>
>
> Are you sure that's why they gave him an award?
>
>
> I got depressed whilst reading your account.  I've been working for years 
> to gain the title "Best RPT in America".  Almost thought I had it, and 
> then this guy comes along... What'll I do now??
>
>
>>What a piece of work this guy was!
>>Sorry for that.  I do feel better, though, sharing that with someone. 
>>Anyone.
>>
>>This is not a rant against RPTs in general.  I may be one myself, one day. 
>>Call me old-fashioned, but I plan to splice a string at my Tech Exam, plan 
>>to continue to do the best tuning I can on every spinet I come across, 
>>will continue to not cast aspersions on the work of others in my field, 
>>and will never drop Virgil's name in an effort to validate myself.
>>Tom Sivak
>
>
> This last paragraph is why you are already a better RPT than whosis EVER 
> will be. Keep up the good work!
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Conrad Hoffsommer
>
> All I ask is a chance to prove that money can't make me happy.
>