[pianotech] rock solid for how long?

[David Nereson]

    Is "rock solid" really possible?   And for how long?  I have 
a client who calls me every time a unison develops a slow roll. 
She must have a super-sensitive ear.  She does pay me to come 
over and touch-up a few notes, but jeez, to get up, load up, 
drive over, touch up notes, pack up, & drive back oughta be 
worth at least $50.  I hate to charge that much each time, and 
feel guilty that my tuning didn't stay perfectly solid. 
Sometimes it's only been a few weeks.  But even a former PTG 
brochure about tuning admitted that no piano holds a tuning 
perfectly for more than 24 hours. Can't people tolerate some 
slight out-of-tuneness for a few months?  I can.  It has to be 
quite bad before I refuse to play it.
    To me, it should be sorta like mowing the lawn.  If it looks 
good when you're done, great.  No need to make sure each blade 
of grass is to the nearest millimeter (like tuning to the 
nearest 10th of a cent), and if a few blades grow faster than 
others in between mowings, so what?  The lawn still looks good 
as a whole.  Just accept the longer blades of grass as a little 
"flavor," variety, or "spice," and live with it until the next 
mowing.
      If you're a Horowitz, that's different.
    --David Nereson, RPT