Tuning PSO's

[Delwin D Fandrich]

Jerry Hunt wrote:

> ... Wanting something that offers challenge
> and excitement, I first thought to persue lion taiming as the ideal
> avocation.

But that didn't offer enough challenge, excitement and danger, so you took up piano tuning?


> I tuned my first piano for a customer anout a year and a half ago, and,
> subsequently, have tuned perhaps two dozen pianos (I did say that for
> the moment, this is only a side-line). While a number of these pianos
> would fall into the "economy" category, they were nonetheless reasonably
> decent. And I have had the privilge of tuning some better quality pianos
> (a couple of Yamaha grands, for example). However, last night, I
> encountered my first Aeloian - a Conover-Cable spinnet which was
> transmogrified in 1974. In attempting to tune this PSO, I was reminded
> of the Wendy's commercials from a number of years ago - the one with the
> old lady saying "Where's the beef?" In this case, it was "Where's the
> beat?" Well, the upper trebles had plent of beats, unfortunately wild
> beats.
>
> At any rate, after 2 1/2 hours, I finished the tuning, did some final
> checks, and satisfied myself that while this may not have been my best
> tuning, it was my best effort with what I had to work with (and it
> sounded much better than when I started - "better" of course being
> relative).
>
> Since this very nice lady will probably be calling me back to tune her
> piano again in six months, I would appreciate any tips on how best to
> tune this sort of piano (yes, I have visions of chain saws, but that
> doesn't do much for customer satisfaction). BTW - I tune strictly
> aurally.

------------------------------------------------------------

Jerry,

You do what any red-blooded professional would do under the circumstances. You walk into her house with a friendly greeting. You may
chat with her for a minute or two. Then you open up the piano, you take out your tools and you go to work. You then do your very best
to make the piano sound less bad when you have finished with it than it did when you started. In other words, you do your very best
job of tuning it. Along the way if you see some little things you can do to make the thing work just a little better, you do them. If
the owner asks for advice you give the best advice you can give. In fact, if the opportunity presents itself, you might want to
encourage her to upgrade her instrument to one a bit more in keeping with her obviously developing talent. If she doesn't ask, you
don't suggest. Well, at least you don't criticize. Either the PSO, or its owner. You don't tell the customer that she has a heap of
excrement sitting in her living room and that she should be placed up against a wall and shot for buying it and for owning it.
Remember, someone probably told her that this was the next best thing to a concert grand when she bought it. Save the complaining for
this list. At least here the worst that can happen is that you will be stood up against a wall and be shot.

In time, you'll find that you can do your best in a bit less than 2- 1/2 hours. But no matter, you still owe the PSO and its owner
your best if you are going to take her money.

If you don't like working on PSO's, then as your own talent and skills grow you raise your rates to the point that PSO owners won't
let you in their homes any longer. Or, if they do, you will be making so much money while there that you won't mind.

If it ever ends up in your shop, then you can burn it.

Regards,

Del

PS  When it comes to squares, I will continue to politely decline regardless of anyone else's opinion on the matter. I have both
tuned and rebuilt my share and I'll not do another. I now have this need to be pleased and satisfied with the results of the work I
do. And no matter what I can do to a square, I know I'll not be pleased with the results.