[pianotech] tuning stability or the piano

[Leslie Bartlett]

In some instances, "fault" unfortunately can't be an issue if you want to
keep a job- especially if your market is tight and there are other people
who would step in.  I simply don't do bureaucracies well, and after ten
years I simply quit the school district job.  But in those years I made many
calls for which I didn't charge, because I valued the job, the teachers who
sometimes truly were interested in their students, and being known as a
technician as one of integrity. When the changes in rules and bureaucracy
grew complicated enough to make life constantly an unpleasant stress I quit.
In this district I had pianos (virtually all Yamahas) which were so stable
semester after semester, tune-ups were merely touch ups, and others where
climate was a serious issue that the pianos wouldn't hold for half a
semester.  So, it strikes me if you wish much to keep your paycheck, there
will be times when you have to do work for which you won't get directly
paid.  That's just me in a very competitive market.    However, having tuned
on a handshake for 10 years, when I quit, they sent to all local techs,
including me a 23 page document for the "new guy" to complete before an
interview was granted.  The whole picture has changed, and the quality of
tuning and care as well.

Les bartlett

 

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From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Marshall Gisondi
Sent: Tuesday, January 10, 2012 3:38 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 <http://www.phillytuner.com/>  
Graduate of The School of Piano Technology for the Blind
www.pianotuningschool.org <http://www.pianotuningschool.org/>  Vancouver, WA





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