another opinion on "...is this honest" reply

[pianoman]

Wim and the list.
It really doesn't matter to me if anyone agrees with me or not.  I have my
own principles I follow.  The longer I am an independent tuner the more I
get set in my ways as far as what is ethical or not and what really is the
right thing.
The symphony, in my opinion, has crossed over the bridge like
Educational-viewer supported television, and the entire government system. 
It doesn't matter to anyone unless the bottom line is in their favor.  I
have passed up many a job because I did not like the circumstances under
which the work would be done.  I have my reasons and my principles and as
long as I stick with them I am at peace with myself.  Hang everything else.
 
Maybe that is why attendance is down at meetings!
Off my soapbox
James Grebe
R.P.T. from St. Louis
pianoman@inlink.com
"Only my best is good enough"

----------
> From: Wimblees@aol.com
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: another opinion on "...is this honest"
> Date: Thursday, November 13, 1997 8:34 AM
> 
> Jim & the list:
> 
> We discussed your comments at the chapter meeting Tuesday, and generally
> disagreed with your opinion. Although most us agreed that the manner in
which
> "university sales" are conducted might not be as ethical as we would like
> them to be, we felt that in the long run they are a benefit to us. 
> 
> >From what we learned, the dealer who is conducting the sale only
provides the
> school with one or two pianos for a short period of time. This allows
them to
> say in their promotion that the the school used these instruments, and
they
> are now "on sale" to the general public. However, the public is led to
> believe that all the pianos available for this sale have been used by the
> school for a year or more. This, in my opinion, is deceptive advertising.
>  The fact that the dealer brings in new instruments, pianos that were
never
> used by the school, is also deceptive to the public. And the fact the
sale is
> usualy promoted by the school, or as in this case, the symphony, is also
> deceptive. Again, the public is never made a ware of who is conducting
this
> sale. (I have had many poeple who bought pianos, tell me they bought them
> from the university). 
> 
> While the university sales might be deceptive, and perhaps not quite as
> honest as we would like them to be, the bottom line is that people do buy
> pianos at these sales. And no matter how it is done, for us as piano
tuners,
> the more pinaos sold to the pulbic, the better it is for us. We wouldn't
be
> in business if it wasn't for the dealers selling pianos. And even if it
was
> done dishonestly, or if there was a legal problem with a private
enterprise
> using a tax supported institution, then that is something the laywers
will
> have  to work out. 
> 
> As long as the sale does what it is supposed to do, sell pianos, then
there
> is nothing wrong with it. I should ask you, are you not going to tune a
piano
> that was bought at that sale? The money you get from the customer is the
same
> as from a customer who bought a piano from any other dealer, or from a
> private party. 
> 
> I appreciate your comments, Jim, but as I said, most of the chapter
members
> did not agree with you. 
> 
> Wim
>