Categories - Paying examiners/Assoc. declassification

[Ed Sutton]

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To the best of my knowledge, all RPTs in the Charlotte area are competant technicians; some are better than others, but all have reasonable tuning and regulating skills, and will not damage a piano while trying to repair it.   

We have some associates who are working hard to improve their skills, some who have found a comfortable niche and are not trying to improve.  

We have had some associates who seemed to be using the guild unfairly as a credential - they usually drop out.

I'm aware of 2 non-guild technicians who do very good work.  One of them is not in the guild due to a personal argument, too bad for him and us.

There are many non-guild technicians whose skills vary from destructive to adequate; when I meet them, they usually seem to be satisfied with their skills and not much interested in learning.  I'm not sure how you can learn this technology if you're not in the guild.

In other times and places I knew various "old boy" RPTs who did not have the best of skills; they are mostly retired now.  The current exams don't prove mastery by far (even I passed!), but they do demonstrate a basic entry level knowledge and skill.

So it is far from perfect, but I do feel "RPT" is meaningful and definately better than nothing.  The willingness to discuss and share information, ask questions of colleagues and be criticized now and then is of real value, and most people who join the guild will do some of that now and then.  Sometimes customers do call me because they're looking for an RPT.  I am very willing to work with associates who are on an RPT track, not so much with those who just want a quick fix to today's problem.

Some years ago I suggested that there could be a cheap, easy to administer preliminary tuning exam that would enable candidates to assess their abilities before undertaking the full exam.  Jim Coleman, Sr. and I were discussing this just before his serious illness.  If someone else on the exam committee would like to discuss this idea, please contact me. 

Ed Sutton  (RPT...technical exam - 99%; tuning exam, passed on second try, "ouch!"...and hopefully a lot better now)


----- Original Message ----- 
From: 
To: caut@ptg.org
Sent: 5/27/2004 10:31:56 AM 
Subject: Re: Categories - Paying examiners/Assoc. declassification


In a message dated 5/27/2004 4:23:25 AM Pacific Standard Time, jonpage@comcast.net writes:
It seems by many statements I heard that the bar for RPT is too low.

If retested, how many RPT's would not requalify or even want to pay to
have this
bonified certification.


Jon Page 
     Jon
    The other question is what in reality does a RPT label do for you? Does it make your reputation? No ,you do. Does it make you a better technician? No you do. My Point is my mentors were My Father & Dick Hamlett. Dick was a fine tech who was never a member & who new how to set tunings in concrete as well as  my dad, a Braid white trained tech(in 1950) When Dad became an RpT in the 70's his rep & technical didn't prove.
   In some cases a client has asked if I'm an RpT but that's not why they came to me in the first place. For some it's small seal of approval. 
  I think the whole thing is for techs it's a bench mark at entry level requirements. I know rpts that I wouldn't even pay for one of there tunings 7 non Rpts that I would.
  Dale
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