My typical "service call" (note: not "tuning") includes tuning the piano to A440, touch-up voicing, cleaning the keytops, and making sure the piano is playing properly. This would include minor action adjustments or repairs. I have a set fee for this service. For first-time clients, I quote my usual fee, but explain that for first-time service, there is an extra $25 charge because there is always extra work to be done. I get very little grief about this. Most callers are expecting a higher charge because they have let their pianos go unserviced longer than they should have. The beauty of this system is that I don't have to explain to strangers about pitch raises on the phone! I also tell them that if their pianos are very much out of tune, they will probably need another service call at full price within 4-6 months. They don't argue about that either! I, too, have picked up an enormous amount of business because the guy I followed never cleaned the keys, or voiced or adjusted anything; not even the pedals! I contend that what people really want is for their pianos to be serviced and they don't have to do anything but play them and schedule the next service call. They also expect from time to time to have to pay extra for some mechanical maintenance or replacement of worn parts. Besides a piano that is only tuned, without the tone regulating being maintained, sounds awful. Sometimes I spend more effort on voicing than tuning for those "xylophones on steroids" (thanks, Ron!). Sometimes the voicing is so bad, you can't tune until you fix it. Anyway, this system works very well for me, and people think twice before paying my fee to tune some old, broken down spinet they saved from the dump! Carol Beigel, RPT
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