[pianotech] tuning stability or the piano

[ed440 at mindspring.com]

Marshall-

You are building a new business, building relationships that can serve you well in your community.
Going back on a recall is an investment in your future. 
Aren't you glad they called you back, instead of just deciding your tunings are unstable and calling someone else?
Meanwhile, get a hygrometer and always, always record the temperature and humidity when you tune, write it on your invoices, in your tuning log, and if you leave a card, write the date, temperature and humidity of the tuning.
Smile through the darn-it-all details, and turn them to show your good will and generosity.

Ed Sutton

-----Original Message-----
>From: Marshall Gisondi <pianotune05 at hotmail.com>
>Sent: Jan 10, 2012 4:37 PM
>To: pianotech at ptg.org
>Subject: [pianotech] tuning stability or the piano
>
>
>Hi everyone,
>I tune pianos for two school districts, and the one is a new one I acquired this past fall.  I tuned a Henry F Miller grand an oldie for their middle school back in December.  I received a call that the piano sounded out of tune or the tuning was off. The secretary of course couldn't go into detail because this information was second hand.  I didn't speak with the music teacher directly who brought this to her attention.  
> 
>So here's my dilema.  I can go back and check it out and retune it if in fact it needs it, but the secretary informed me that they wouldn't pay for an additional tuning.  So I either have to save my reputation and do it for nothing if in fact it needs a tuning, or tell them no I won't tune it for free. So has this hapened to anyone, a piano's tuning drifting in such a short time?  Is it me or this old piano?  How does one truly know who's at fault, and how do you convince a school that it's the piano and not me. I told the secretary that this is something unusual, and that I typically get compliments on how long my tunings stay.  I have this overwhelming need to save my hide/reputation, and I feel worried that my career is being hurt.  How do you guys handle this flood of emotional uncertainity when y our skills are being challenged?  I know I was trained well.  I know I pour a lot into every piano I tune.  How can I be assured that it's the piano in this case?  Thanks
>Marshall
>
>Marshall Gisondi Piano Technician
>Marshall's Piano Service
>pianotune05 at hotmail.com
>215-510-9400
>www.phillytuner.com 
>Graduate of The School of Piano Technology for the Blind www.pianotuningschool.org Vancouver, WA
>
>
>
>