I maintain 9 pianos at the SF Ballet. These studios have wide fluctuations of temp and humidity. When dancers are in studio the heat goes way up...sweating bodies...at night heat goes down...or off...would a damp-chaser help in this situation? It seems to me it wouldn't be able to react that quickly...? David Ilvedson, RPT Pacifica, CA 94044 Original message From: "Keith McGavern" To: pianotech at ptg.org Received: 12/24/2008 1:27:44 PM Subject: Re: [pianotech] Dampp-Chaser Brochure response Dear Roger, First and foremost, I want to clarify that I am convinced beyond all doubt that the Piano LIfe Saver System is the only product on the market that can actually reduce pitch drift and increase tuning stability by a significant margin given that the environment in which the piano dwells in not overly hostile to the activity for the Piano LIfe Saver System's purposes. Secondly, in approaching a customer with the possibility of considering the purchase of this system in the world I live, I never begin with the brochure at all. It begins with the piano's abilities to stay in tune and close to pitch for a reasonable amount of time after establishing a track record. What is reasonable one might ask? Certainly an excellent topic with a multitude of possible answers. When I feel all other options are exhausted, I let the customer know Piano Life Saver System is all that's left to reduce pitch drift and increase tuning stability. On Dec 23, 2008, at 11:16 AM, Roger Wheelock wrote: So what do you tell a piano owner? Or, possibly more clearly, what do you tell a piano owner in order to get his or her attention? This is where we came up with the phrase "you can keep your piano on pitch constantly". Is it a stretch? I don't think so. You may disagree. You have managed to state your case and dismiss any that I might make on this particular subject. If you don't think saying a thing is a stretch, how can I possibly offer anything that might suggest it is definitely a stretch. Now for the second phrase, "double its life". Here technical data is absent and we are relying on anecdotal information from your fellow technicians. We are a small family-owned business in western North Carolina. We do not have the resources to test 10 pianos with a system and 10 pianos without watching for signs of deterioration over a time frame of many years. Is using anecdotal information to make a claim wrong? I don't think so. You may disagree. Once again, you have pretty much used the same thing as above, but this time you have including the concept of using "anecdotal information" as valid. Having looked that word up, it seems to fall under the unbrella of "hearsay". The reputation of the person making the claim is certainly important. A technician who strongly agrees with this claim is Arlan Harris, current President of the New York City Chapter of the PTG and also President of the Technical Division of Klavierhaus in New York City. I cannot say that an equally respected and qualified technician might not strongly disagree. And here again, this position of stretch/anecdotal information has not changed other than now using what one individual, who has some credentials agrees with this approach, while allowing that another individual with equivalent credentials might not agree. What does this really prove? One of my mentors told me early in my business career that I should never let bad business compromise good science. I try to live by that advice. And this comment I understand not all all with regards to the cover of the brochure. I only know at this time is that I can't, in good conscience, hand over that newest brochure to anyone in the territory I service with a statement that boldly say, "Now, You can Keep Your Piano On Pitch Constantly and also Double its LIfe." It just doesn't hold water in my 30 years of tuning. I feel I only have two options at this point, cross out that line entirely to utilize the brochure, or not hand them out at all. Right now, crossing out is what I am experimenting with, and it looks like that will work satisfactorily. If anyone asks why that area is crossed out, I only have to say, "I didn't agree with the that company's particular comment." Sincerely, Keith -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech_ptg.org/attachments/20081224/846549c6/attachment-0001.html>
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