[pianotech] To Don, Mark, and Roger. Was Jeannie, etc (E. A. Snow)

[wimblees at aol.com]

Now Wim, you have to be consistent. About 15 years ago you did this program in Houston where you were selling and renting pianos and it was a going thing, and we should all gobble up the used pianos and turn them into rentals and make lots of money…….  Now, I’m old and I get confused very easily………………………….     What about all those guys who are tuning 6-8 a day?  2-3 a day is about all I can manage to do decently, and there isn’t a whole lot of money in that either……….
[Les] les bartlett

That was 15 years ago. Since then, I sold my store, sold my rental pianos, sold my tuning clients, went to work for a football team in the south, and moved to Hawaii. In other words, things change. And you're right, if you want to make money, don't go into piano tuning. 


Wim


-----Original Message-----
From: Leslie Bartlett <l-bartlett at sbcglobal.net>
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Sent: Fri, Nov 27, 2009 5:37 pm
Subject: Re: [pianotech] To Don, Mark, and Roger. Was Jeannie, etc (E. A. Snow)


-----Original Message-----
From: Leslie Bartlett <l-bartlett at sbcglobal.net>
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Sent: Fri, Nov 27, 2009 5:37 pm
Subject: Re: [pianotech] To Don, Mark, and Roger. Was Jeannie, etc (E. A. Snow)




 
Hi Elizabeth:
 
I am sane because I am no longer a piano dealer, and have not been one since 2002.  My standing joke is:  “ I used to be a Baldwin dealer, but I am feeling much better now!”
 
I had employees, and they did much of the regulation, while I took care of the higher end stuff.  I remember at one time when the economy was good and I was selling lots of pianos.  I was tearing my hair out because we never got into the shop to touch the rebuilding for over a month, because we were so busy doing uncompensated prep work, most of which should have been done by a manufacturer.  Think about it, you’re selling lots of pianos, and the moniey is going right by you without stopping to say hello because you don’t have time to do the work that compensates you.  I also remember at the end of that year, my best year ever, looking at my tiny profit, and thinking, “That’s it, that’s ALL for my 80 hour weeks??!!.”  That’s when I started thinking it just wasn’t worth it because if it is this hard when things are good, what are my chances of making a decent living when it is not?  
 
You have not heard me criticize other dealers for not doing prep work, because I know why they don’t do it.  Not only does it reduce their profit, it makes it harder to survive.  
 
Let me state the obvious for some who have missed it:   THERE IS NO DAMN MONEY IN THIS BUSINESS
[Les]   Now Wim, you have to be consistent. About 15 years ago you did this program in Houston where you were selling and renting pianos and it was a going thing, and we should all gobble up the used pianos and turn them into rentals and make lots of money…….  Now, I’m old and I get confused very easily………………………….     What about all those guys who are tuning 6-8 a day?  2-3 a day is about all I can manage to do decently, and there isn’t a whole lot of money in that either……….
[Les] les bartlett

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