Terry, You can learn more about the piano tech business by atttending NAMM for one day than you can by running your own business for one month. But you can't do it by walking in the arena entrance and wandering around. If you try that you will miss 98% of the show. First you must consider what you forsee for your business; do you want to be a tuner, a rebuilder, rent pianos, sell pianos, etc, etc. Some time sitting down with paper and pen and trying to write down everything you can think of regards what you want for yourself for the future will be of immense help. Some of the things you can do at NAMM include: 1. See and play many new pianos, compare their tone, touch, look at design features. Some manufacturers offer performances (Piano Disc, Fazioli, others..) that you can attend to actually hear a good pianist playing them. Some, like Bosendorfer, are so popular that good pianists are playing them all day long! 2. Talk with the piano companies' technicians who are usually there and often anxious to have someone to interact with. You can learn a wealth of piano related info. this way. You might even ask them what it is like to work for a manufacturer in case you might want to do that some day. 3. Visit SAMA rebuilders and check out the quality of work they do, maybe you might sell a rebuilding job for them someday. Check the quality of all the companies products you see there. We have to 4. Get info. from all the cross country piano movers, one of your customers might want your advice someday. Look at piano moving supplies, I bought a beautiful (yes beautiful) moving quilt there one year (great for returning a rebuild and refinishing job), maybe you should own a dolly. 5. Look at Renner, Jansen, GRK, House of Troy. They offer products you might want to sell your customers. Talk to the people, get to know them in person. 6. Look at the magazine racks (usually located just outside some entrance), there are hundreds of free music magazines. 7. If you play, go look at all the music publishers. 8. If you play trombone or....., go look at the new trombones or...... I don't know rules about getting in right now. When we first went in 1989, piano technicians were not one of the groups considered "in the trade" and we had to become instant dealers. But ever since 1990 we have been members and I haven't kept up on what the requirements are. We are going down too, leaving Tues. afternoon and driving in our motorhome. Let me know before then if you need help getting in, diane PS check out NAMM online www.namm.com and look at their list of exhibitors, pianos are on the last three pages. > Diane Hofstetter 245-M Mount Hermon Rd.#343 Scotts Valley, CA 95066 ph 831-438-6222 fax 831-430-9741 dianepianotuner@hotmail.com _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com
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