If "she still thinks it's way to bright" by all means take care of this first. A good voicing may take care of much of your problems. When unisons begin to slip, even the tiniest amount, the dissonance is magnified in the highest partials.
If you don't feel comfortable doing a thorough voicing job, hire an expert voicer yourself and look at it as a learning opportunity. I spent several hours with Steve Brady on a Baldwin SD that a church was having trouble with.. We had a terrific time working together. Watching someone like Steve work was very rewarding - you gain a lot of little techniques (I like to think of them as 'micro techniques' the ones that never get written about. the exact way a tech holds and manages his tools, how he holds his head, etc). This is the kind of experience that you can't get at a convention!
Also having a recognized high-end technician will give whatever observations and recommendations that are made extra weight.
Also, be prepared to thoroughly lube the bearing points *every* time you tune the piano. I would suggest Prolube or diluted Ballistol. These have more body to them than Protek which is lighter. I would soak the understring felt.
I second the recommendation that was made to use a string cover with the DC..
Some people are obsessive bargain hunters. They have to feel like they got the best deal on everything they buy. I wonder if your teacher client has a touch of this. I like my clients to know that they are not so much purchasing a tuning as paying for my time.
It's also very hard to start charging more once a pattern has been established. We raise our rates on a regular basis. We try to be as gracious and sympathetic with our clients as possible. Let them know that in order to keep offering the best service possible you need to charge a little bit more. I think it's particularly hard with teachers because their hourly rate is usually significantly lower than ours. They suffer from some of the same fears of raising rates that piano technicians do. I have one teacher who always complains about how much I charge. She once even said "maybe I should have gone into piano tuning!" I just smiled and told her that she probably would have made a great piano technician. Even though she complains she hasn't hired one of the less expensive tuners yet! It's just her way - I don't take it personally.
--- On Sun, 12/28/08, Geoff Sykes <thetuner at ivories52.com> wrote:
> From: Geoff Sykes <thetuner at ivories52.com>
> Subject: Re: [pianotech] Satisfied but persistent customer question
> To: pianotech at ptg.org
> Date: Sunday, December 28, 2008, 12:19 PM
> My thanks to all who have contributed to this discussion.
> The fact that many
> of the responses echoed similar viewpoints is helpful.
>
> I routinely check plate and pinblock bolts on every piano I
> service. On this
> particular piano I have also already tapped down the hitch
> pin loops, lubed
> the bearing points, (ProTek), and done some voicing. I may
> have to voice it
> down a little more as she still thinks it's way too
> bright. And that may
> help. I have not yet addressed string leveling, and perhaps
> I should do that
> next.
>
> She already has a full DC system installed by a previous
> technician, but she
> doesn't use it. Since I don't have to sell her one
> perhaps I can convince
> her to plug the existing one back in. I guess it's also
> time to discuss with
> her, again, the benefits of bottom and top covers, and
> closing the lid once
> in a while.
>
> Restringing, capo dressing and agraffes are something she
> is NOT going to do
> at this time. $$$
>
> Someone mentioned the PitchLock system. I've only read
> about it and seen
> pictures. If anyone has first hand experience with
> PitchLock I would like to
> hear more.
>
> Thanks all --
>
> -- Geoff
>
>
> • Geoff Sykes, RPT
> • 626-799-7545
> • www.ivories52.com
>
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> Date: 12/28/2008
> 2:23 PM
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