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[Fred Sturm]

Wim,
	With respect to uprights vs grands, I'll have to disagree that an
upright could really take the same time as a grand, even if you fussed
to make it as perfect as possible. I've never brushed butt leather, but
brush/teflon/etc knuckles all the time. Regulating the repetition system
is pretty time consuming - rep top compared to jack, rep spring
strength, drop. Doesn't exist on an upright. Weighing keys, addressing
friction, evening weights of hammers, dealing with sostenutos, fine
adjustment of dampers systems, sticking needles into hammer felt - the
list goes on. If anything, I think the proportions I originally
suggested were not diverse enough, but figured that would be made up
somewhat under "Acceptable Standards."
	For everyone's information, feedback I've received to date is fairly
even between "It's about right for my situation" and "It's not rigorous
enough (ie, too many pianos per tech)." So I'm thinking in general I
want to make the formula come up with slightly lower numbers.
	I'll be back with more later, but will be out of the loop for a while.
THe NASM folks come next week, and we have four candidates for Fine Arts
dean the next two weeks, and we have our annual big bash Composers
Symposium in a week and a half. So I'll be pretty swamped. 
	But "Keep those cards and letters coming!"
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
Wimblees@aol.com wrote:
> 
> In a message dated 3/13/02 10:05:42 AM Central Standard Time,
> fssturm@unm.edu writes:
> 
> Fred
> 
> I did the calculations last fall, and came up with a number almost
> exactly as my situation; 1.1 techs for the number and condition of
> pianos at UA Therefore, I thought the formula was right on the money.
> 
> However, I don't know if there is a need to alter the formula in
> regard to the upright/grand situation. I even want to go as far as
> stating that perhaps there should not be any difference at all between
> the two. If done right, an upright can take as much time to tune,
> vocie, repair, and regulate as a grand. I think the difference is
> going to be reflected in the use of the upright. For the most part,
> you're not going to have an upright in a concert type setting, much
> less a teaching studio where the pianos needs constant attention. Most
> of the upright pianos are going to be in practice rooms, or teaching
> studios where they get minimum use. A few uprights are going to be in
> classrooms, where they might need once a month maintenance, but then
> that will be reflected in the usage category.
> 
> That's my opinion, but then I've only been at this for 6 months. I'll
> be interested to know what some other's opinion on this are?
> 
> Wim
>