Here comes the pitch

[Cy Shuster]

I used to charge separately for pitch raises, but I've switched to a minimum 
of two hours for annual or semi-annual tuning, just so I don't have to 
explain and/or sell a pitch raise separately.  I do measure pitch before 
starting to tune, and graph it on the invoice, to communicate to the 
customer how bad the piano currently is (especially for new customers).

If I have time left after tuning, I use the rest of the time for minor 
repairs, taking out lost motion on uprights, tightening action screws, etc. 
It saves me time both at the customer and later when I'm entering my 
invoices not to have lots of separate charges.  Plus, I sell it as "total 
piano maintenance", not just tuning (a concept I've heard from many others 
here).

--Cy--

P. S.  I followed several tuners in WV who routinely skipped the bottom and 
top octave altogether.