<HTML>Thank myou for your unsightful comments on University work. For me, been there - done that. I'd like to add that no amount of work done in a shop to make someone else's piano better (practice room piano) cuts any with a disgruntled faculty member. Hoiwever, face time ( doing your "magic" while they watch) can alleviate compalaints, they see your skill and results, and can start to appreciate how time consuming some maintanence is, such as regulation and voicing. As for tuning stability, this can get you worse than any rep spring or key level that is off. Half - aware pianists are convinced that the measure of a good piano tech is how long a tuning lasts. Any "reasons" sounds like self effacing excuses to these pianists. If you can, check in on these pianists rooms every week or two, fix the more obvious notes, and the impression will be that your tuning lasts much longer. These pianists don't hear the fine points of temperament, but they hear unisons in the fifth octave and octaves in the bass which slip before you can blink. If you can, get a humidity indicator which records the highs and lows. When told that a piano is itself a humidistat (absorbent membrane with a measuring device - soundboard and pitch), pianists can get an epiphany. Also, you get your "stability" tested! It is part of the RPT test, but it can be done independantly of the whole test with arrangement by a CTE. This provides a measure of "proof" that tuning stability is not a matter of your technique, but rather other causes. Whats more, it can be documented and independantly verified!                                                  Michael Meade, RPT </HTML>