New SAT

[Delwin D Fandrich]

C. Mike Swendsen wrote:
> 
> 3.  If an enterprising customer thinks you are tuning, just using a
> computer he may think he can do it too, and download something and try
> it.... he just might be semi successful, or break something... In any
> case, it's not something I would like to see done.

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

A primitive variation of this argument was used many years ago by some
technicians who refused to sell basic tuning books and tools to
"amateurs."

We always did, or at least we didn't refuse to. We actually had a small
“kit” including a basic book, tuning hammer, tuning fork, a few mutes, a
temperament strip, etc., but I actually sold very few of them. The
conversations usually went something like:

"Hello, do you sell tuning tools?"
    "Yes we do. What would you like?"

“Well, I want a good book on the subject and whatever tools I’ll need.
I’d like to try tuning my own piano.”
    “OK. We actually have a basic kit put together just for that
purpose. It costs $_______.”

“Gee, thanks. ... Say, why are you willing to sell this stuff when no
one else is? They won't even talk to me about it.”
    “Well, we’ve found it to be good business. People often want to try
tuning their own pianos to save money. They generally don’t realize how
much skill, experience and knowledge is required to do the job well. By
the time they’ve worked on their own piano for a while, they usually
realize that they’re way in over their heads and they’ll call back to
the only piano shop that was willing to help them. That’s me. And
believe me, I’ll make a lot more correcting damage from your mistakes
than I’ll ever make by just tuning your piano. Like I said, it’s just
good business.”

“Oh. ... Well, uh, how much would you charge to tune my piano.”
    “I charge $_____.”

“OK. When could you come out...”
    “Well, let’s see, my next opening is...”

—ddf.