[pianotech] rock solid for how long?

[Michael Magness]

On Sat, Jan 9, 2010 at 8:47 AM, Kerry <kerrykean at att.net> wrote:

> It seems to me we need to apply some common sense to what amounts to a
> balancing act between what we know as technicians and what we can get our
> clients to understand and accept. I apply a kind of sliding time scale to
> this kind of callback, meaning that if it's a piano I tune regularly and
> something slips within a week or so (not the slow roll that's been referred
> to but really out), I'll take direct responsibility, make a free touch-up
> visit and try to use the opportunity to explain something about the number
> and complexity of the factors that affect the tuning (and maybe try to sell
> them on humidity control). When it's been a longer period of time, or the
> piano had not been tuned regularly, I'll try to make them understand why it
> may have gone out but hold firm in charging for a service call. This
> doesn't
> apply to performance work, where the expectations are higher and the time
> frame shorter.
>
> I guess the bottom line is, put yourself in your client's shoes. When
> something goes wrong with some service person's work shortly after they
> leave, and they refuse to make it right for free, no amount of explanation
> or rationalization would make me feel like I haven't been cheated. Emphasis
> here is on defining "shortly" for yourself.
>
>
> Kerry Kean
> www.ohiopianotuner.com
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: David Nereson [mailto:da88ve at gmail.com]
> Sent: Friday, January 08, 2010 2:07 AM
> To: pianotech at ptg.org
>   Subject: Re: [pianotech] rock solid for how long?
>
>  > We cannot be held responsible for what happens to the piano
> itself once we
> > leave the premises.  Many factors must be taken into account
> > including
> > humidity flucuations.
> >
> > Jer
>
>    I think this gets to the root of what I was actually
> concerned with.  I get the attitude or expectation or impression
> from many clients than I AM responsible for that tuning holding
> for a reasonable amount of time -- at least 4 months or so, or
> even a year or two, in some people's minds.  I remember many
> call-backs in the past (and occasional ones even now) where a
> string slipped within a few days of the tuning.  The customer
> always feels that's the tuner's fault, since they think a tuning
> should last at least a year.  In fact, when they were growing
> up, their mom only tuned the piano every 5 years or so, and it
> sounded fine (they think).  So if my tuning doesn't last that
> long, I must not be very good, or else I did something wrong, or
> am getting old and can't hear, or was in a hurry or whatever.
>    But more to the point of rock-solidness, how do you know,
> other than by using the forearm test or pounding the heck out of
> each and every unison, that that tuning will stay absolutely
> stable?  Do you go thru and tap every pin with the flat end of
> your tuning hammer's head to see if any pins move, then go thru
> and touch them up?  And after you do, how do you know those
> touch-ups are stable?  You don't.  And, yes, at concerts,
> sometimes tuners come out at intermission to touch-up a few
> strings.  And this is understandable to the layperson because a
> concert artist was thrashing out a heavy piano concerto.  But
> their home piano should stay in tune for at least a year since
> it's only used by light-handed, casual players.  (Or some
> similar train of thought.)
>    I still experience some guilt if I charge full fare, then
> get a call-back because a unison or a few slip(s) within the
> next few weeks.
>    --David Nereson, RPT
>
>
>
>

I agree Kerry, that's why I charge the same rate for the Naugawurli that is
right up against the hot water heat register as the well maintained grand I
tuned prior to it!
I just may not put the Wurli on y regular callback list, (grin)

Mike
-- 
I intend to live forever. So far, so good.
Steven Wright


Michael Magness
Magness Piano Service
608-786-4404
www.IFixPianos.com
email mike at ifixpianos.com
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