Folks, Years ago, when I was expounding on the reason I was teaching an intro course on piano technology, I would use a typical phone conversation of a prospective first time customer. In the course of the conversation, while trying to get as much information as possible about both customer and piano, I'd ask the make. There would then usually be be a pause. In my mind's eye I could see the customer peering around the corner at the piano they've had for XX years... My reasoning was/is; if they don't even know what has been visible just three inches above their fingers, how much do you think they know about the inside of the box? Recently, I had my first e-mail equivalent: >Conrad, do you tune non-Luther pianos? If so, we'd be interested in >hiring you to tune our piano. It's a very good piano--only about 12 years >old--but hasn't been tuned (I'm sorry to say) since we've come to >Decorah! If not, do you have anyone to recommend? We have heard that ____ >is also good. Thanks so much! > > I certainly do. > > Since I have this day job at a local college, (Note: we're both > employees) I'm limited to late > > afternoons and Saturdays. Would mid-late afternoon Saturday the 18th > > work? >Late afternoon Nov 18 sounds great! Thanks! How much will we owe you--or >does it depend on the amount of time you need to spend? >>My basic tuning fee is $xx, but if it is as bad as it _could_ be after ?? >>years, bringing it back up to pitch would be additional. >>>>> Then, the killer question. <<<<< >>BTW, what kind of piano is it? >This is terrible, but I forget what kind of piano it is--Kawasaki, I think >(I'll check!)--upright. We have a humidistat in it; it's on an inside >wall ; and our house is pretty well climate-regulated (good news)--but it >has been moved twice since it was last tuned 7ish years ago(bad >news). Yes, I imagine you'll need to spend some time on it! It does not >SOUND out of tune, but it does have that "tinny" sound. Thanks! LATER: >Our piano is a Yamaha, not Kawasaki! >>I wudda lost a bet... I was guessing that it would be a Kawai. >>;-} >They all sound like motorcycles to me. Hmmmmm... Saturday should be interesting... ;-} Good thing I'm a former owner of both Yamaha and Kawasaki motorcycles, yes? Conrad Hoffsommer - Keyboard Technician Luther College, 700 College Dr., Decorah, Iowa 52101-1045 1-(563)-387-1204 // Fax 1-(563)-387-1076 - Right now, I'm hoping to live until my age matches my golf score, - Until then, I'll have to be content to have my IQ match my handicap.
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