Wally, I charge less for a p/r as you but I also have a different approach for some customers. If the piano is flat, I will p/r & rough tune for my normal fee and advise a follow-up tuning in a few weeks to a month and explain that it will be drifting out of tune due to the tension change and they will notice it first in the extremes. I could have scheduled it then or they could call. This impresses upon them the idea of frequent tuning. If they called fine, they are the better off; if not, then they are not a serious customer for me to bend over backwards for. I also am able to remain on schedule by not interjecting extra time on one piano. It was not my fault that the piano was flat so I did not worry that I could not put more time into it. More times than not, the quick service call is sufficient for them and they do not get it re-tuned until they feel it needs it again. Either way I have done the best I could for the price and they have a piano which is in tune enough for them and they do not feel I have sold them a bill of goods with extra expenses. Then with the next tuning, if sooner than 10 years, The piano will be closer to pitch and possibly another p/r-tuning will make it more stable or it could be just a straight tuning. Here again, first inquiring of the use of the piano: no lessons, parties or accompanying. Jon Page Harwich Port, Cape Cod, Mass. (jpage@capecod.net) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ At 06:47 AM 11/24/98 -0500, you wrote: >Ted, > >This in response to your note about the Whitney spinet: > >Different technicians go about charging for pitch raises, and other jobs, >in different ways. Each one of us charges as he wishes according to the >local market and conscience dictates. In my area I only charge a set fee >for tunings and then charge all other work by the hour, actually by the 1/4 >hour. A pitch raise generally only takes me a half hour in addition to the >tuning, so I only charge for a half hour of extra labor. If I see that >there may be a possibility for a string breaking, I will inform the >customer and explain what the charges may be; the type of piano you mention >may be more troublesome, and therefore warrant a higher price. > >I talked to a friend of mine recently (not a PTG member) who charges more >for the pitch raise than for the tuning. He reasoned that since the >customer had neglected the piano for so long, he was justified. It seemed >to me his attitude was that of "punishing" the customer for not taking care >of the piano. > >My philosophy is that my charges should be related more closely to the >actual work I do on the particular piano in question. That way I can say I >am being fair to my customers and will hopefully establish a "regular" >clientele. > >I realize that others have a different philosophy about charging for their >services, which is why they may make a better living than I do. Oh, well, >maybe I should learn a few things from them. I'm still learning this >business. > >Please, any responses, reply directly as I am signed off the list until I >get some research projects done for school. > >Sincerely, > >Wally Scherer, Piano Technician, Norfolk, Virginia, USA >Associate member of the PTG, Hampton Roads, Va. chapter >mailto:WallyTS@iName.com >Web page: http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/2411 >"Old piano tuners don't die - they just go beatless!" > > > >
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