The Complete Technician

[Barb Barasa]

Thanks for all your comments!  I find them TRULY helpful.

And thanks, Bill, for the Chinese invocation "May you work on interesting
pianos."  But what about that saying, "Be careful what you ask for, you
might get it?"

The pianos I work on are PLENTY interesting.  I will take all your
advice(s?) and get to work!  While also remembering the admonition from the
sargeant on Hill Street Blues: Be Careful Out There.

I should point out that I DO always attend to noises, playing problems, etc.
the customer brings up as well as things I find to glaringly obvious to
leave unattended.  And I always point out to the customer what I did to
improve the piano and why.  But I see the benefit of taking it one ... or
two ... steps farther. One being spending a few minutes on EVERY piano, just
for my own education, and two being always pointing out to the customer what
needs doing.

I often point out flat hammers, etc., and what can be done about them, but
on an 80 year old upright with loosening pins that hasn't ever been
regulated, I also point out that it's only one step of a whole process, and
that it would probably not be a wise investment in that particular piano.
The only exception is where the customer expresses an attachment to the
instrument such that they are willing to pay for ALL the work at some point.
I have someone like this now who is saving her money for a restringing on a
very average old upright.

I guess what I'm saying is, I would feel it dishonest to ask someone to
start pouring money into a piano like that.  And also, there is a difference
between a pianist and a person who has a piano in their house.

Thanks again for all the encouragement!

Barb  Barasa
Sycamore IL