Time to level pins, dress coils...?

[Richard Brekne]

Very Interesting point Newton. Food for thought indeed. Personally I see no need
for breaking out the flame gear... grin.. but I suppose maybe I should wait to see
what others respond with.

Richard Brekne
I.C.P.T.G.  N.P.T.F.
Bergen, Norway

Newton Hunt wrote:

> Dear Diane,
>
> You raise a valuable question so I am going to start a flame worthy
> thread with it.  Please do not take this too personally, I intend no
> denigration of you.  (Original quote is below.)
>
> The question arises, did you do this to satisfy your desire for a
> pretty and sightly arrangement of the pins and coils or did you do it
> for the immediate benefit of the piano and the customer.
>
> Yes nice coils are nice but the piano had stood in a semblance of tune
> for 25 years so the question becomes will the piano stay substantially
> longer in tune after the work as it would have before the work?
>
> Doing work for our professional esthetic is great when we are doing an
> original stringing (in this example) where the time investment is
> small relative to the whole job.  Doing pin and coil work on a new
> piano does have a customer benefit, appearance AND tuning stability
> because the strings are new, the pins are new so there is no corrosion
> to help keep them in place.
>
> With an older piano the benefit may well be moot.
>
> Doing work just to satisfy your personal reasons does not necessarily
> benefit the customer and charging full price for it may well be doing
> the customer a disservice.
>
> Where does the line reside?  _I_ cannot say because I do not know.
> But somewhere between our desire to do perfect work, our wallet, and
> the benefit to the piano and customer based upon the overall condition
> of the instrument, the uses of the piano, the capabilities of the
> players, the value of the instrument, our reputation and the
> durability of the piano.  These and other factors need to be
> considered before even SUGGESTING the choices of benefits of the work
> to the customer.  Convincing a customer is sales hype.  Providing a
> range of choices, the advantages and disadvantages of each allows the
> customer the opportunity to choose what or what not to do.
>
> Charge her for half your time investment.
>
> Forgive me Diane.
>
>                 Newton  (Flame suit is on.)
>
> Diane Hofstetter wrote:
> >
> > Dear list;
> >
> >   Was called to tune a 1973 Story & Clark grand just before Thanksgiving for
> > a party.  Found the tuning pins at all different heights and the coils were
> > a mess.  Customer insisted parents bought the piano new in 1973 and it had
> > never been restrung, so I guess it came from the factory that way? The piano
> > was grossly flat and it turned out the party wasn't until Dec. 11 so I
> > talked them into having me straighten the coils and level the pins.  I
> > couldn't figure out what to charge them, but since I was just about to
> > string a piano, thought that I would know in a few days.
> >
> >   Turns out I don't string that way at all, but dress the coils after every
> > few pins and level after each section, so don't know how long it will take!
> > I would guess about 2-3 hours??  Anyone have any input on this for me?
> >
> >   Thanks!
> >   Diane
> >
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