what would you do.

[David Chadwick]

what would you do.Les, 
Everyone's comments are right on as far as making sure you get paid for your work. I have made a change in the way I charge for  all of my service calls by keeping my price at a higher amount that would normally cover a pitch raise, fine tune and some touch-up regulating. It's annoying to the customers when they are told that the price you quoted has become more because of this or that. Since I've raised my rate I have had more business (believe it or not) and I'll see a tip every so often.  I'll spend 90+ minutes per appointment and most people are thankful to have a more comprehensive service done. When was the last time you worked on a piano that didn't need work other than a tune-up. It's also a bit more satisfying for me to make a better musical instrument out of the piano so I can enjoy playing some demo songs and feel and hear the improvements. 

David C. 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Leslie Bartlett 
  To: pianotech at ptg.org 
  Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 8:18 PM
  Subject: what would you do.


  Today I tuned a piano which the owner said was tuned two weeks ago, but sounded badly.  The former tuner, listed in Chinese Yellow Pages (huge Chinese population here in Houston), left a mute in the piano, a phillips screwdrever, and screwed about with the fallboard.   The piano was from zero to 60 cents flat, 15-25 in the first five octaves, and about 25-40 in the last two.  Amazing.  It was a pretty tough-to-tune LaPetite Kimball baby grand, however NOT untuneable in any way. Pins were very "Kimball-esque"- tight and consistent.    Would you have charged these folks for the pitch raise, having already paid for something they obviously "didn't get"?

  les bartlett 
  houston 

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