Howdy,
> Kelly said that "Strings break, but technicians do not break strings".
"Tis well known on this list that my thought processes are, ahem, slightly
different.
I proved (both) the above to one simmering irate customer (client?)
Last tuning of the day, last part of the tuning (high treble unisons),
boink! Mutter, mutter (to self only at this point). Fetched string supply
and replaced with no problem.
Owner objected to charge for replacing broken string since I had "obviously"
been the one to break it. No amount of verbal explanation would convince
said person of serendipitous breakage.
Decided to play dirty. I asked to customer if at any time during my tuning
there were wild pitch swings observed. Answer - " no".
"OK then", said I, "let me show you what I would have to do to purposefully
break a string, no charge to replace demo string"
I then proceeded to pop the new string I'd just put in (since I knew it
wasn't rusted or anything else).
After owner heard how far sharp I had to go to break it, a faint apology was
heard and the full bill was paid.
Not something you want to do in the middle of a full day, but effective...
Conrad
Conrad Hoffsommer Office - (319) 387-1204
Luther College Music Dept Fax - (319) 387-1076
700 College Drive hoffsoco@luther.edu
Decorah, Iowa 52101-1045
Certified Calibration Technician (CCT) of
Digitally Activated Biopowered Tone Generation Systems
"If you have to plug it in, or you can't watch how it works,
I don't work on it."
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