[pianotech] Conventions ( was Pianotech? )

[Duaine Hechler]

Mainly to Wim,

Your Perennial is GREAT.

BUT, you keep forgetting many multiple factors.

1) Is money - I don't have $3000 on a convention - any convention - not even $1000. At least 95% of my profit goes back 
out in supplies. Leather and felt punchings, bellows cloth, etc. ain't cheap. Along with glue and other misc supplies. 
Plus, this economy is NOT helping any. And don't think about telling me to raise my rates - as it is - people gasp when 
I tell them how much a player rebuild will be (it is mostly labor).

2) I am currently doing a piano roll recut program where people order a piano roll from my private collection, send it 
in to have it scanned and recut as a new roll. Now, the recutting process requires a minimum run of 5 rolls. So right 
off the bat, I have to pay for 5 of the same roll to sell even one. So 1 from 5 is 4 - that I have to find a way to sell 
- currently listing them on eBay - and that costs is monthly advertising fees.

3) You say that I could hone my skills. Hone my skills on WHAT ? That would be great of 99% of my clientele were GRANDS 
- which it AIN'T. I get 99% of old beaters, studios, consoles, spinets, players, etc which once every 5 to NEVER years 
gets tuned. Just about the only repeat customers I have, for tunings, are player piano customers because they - USE - 
their pianos. I've had several churches, but somehow they die on me - closed, moved, abandoned, no funds, etc.

4) My main stay is rebuilding players and reed organs with an occasional melodeon thrown in the mix. For players, by the 
time the customer pays for the player rebuild, there is not much left over for nicety addons like a new soundboard, etc. 
Its basically - fix - everything that is absolutely needed - like cracks in the soundboard, bridle straps and new 
hammers - just maybe new dampers. And of course, the necessity of piano - and - player regulation.

5) As you can probably remember, there are many techs competing for clientele in the St. Louis Metro area. And most of 
them have been around a LONG time to get the - REPEAT - clientele.

6) Finally, as I have said my times before, the organization is geared towards Grands - and - clients with lots of money 
to spend.

7) Furthermore, It has been 3 months since my last tuning !!!!!

So, if, and when, I can ever get my head above water, I will go to the next convention,
Duaine

On 07/17/2012 01:53 PM, tnrwim at aol.com wrote:
>
>     Well, Wim, Not everyone can make it to the convention ;-)
>
>     So there .............
>
>
>
>
> Duaine
> There are piano tuners who say they can't afford to attend the convention. There are piano tuners who say they don't 
> have the time. And there are piano tuners who think the convention is not worth attending. But then there are piano 
> tuners for whom the PTG Annual Convention is THE most important event of the year, and they will do anything to 
> attend. What so ironic is that they keep showing up year after year, because they've somehow found the time and the 
> money to attend. Maybe there's something to that.
> Attached is an article I wrote after the convention in 1995, which I've updated for this year. But the sentiment is 
> the same.  It probably won't change your mind about not wanting to come to Chicago next year, but it's at least a 
> different perspective of why my wife and I go every year.
> Wim
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Duaine Hechler <dahechler at att.net>
> To: pianotech <pianotech at ptg.org>
> Sent: Tue, Jul 17, 2012 7:58 am
> Subject: Re: [pianotech] Pianotech?
>
> Well, Wim, Not everyone can make it to the convention ;-)
>
> So there .............
>
> On 07/17/2012 12:37 PM,tnrwim at aol.com  <mailto:tnrwim at aol.com>  wrote:
> >  If you would have come to the convention you would have found out.
> >
> >  Wim :)
> >
> >  Yes, it will continue for at least another 6 months
> >
> >  Sent from my iPhone
> >
> >  On Jul 17, 2012, at 10:00 AM, "Joseph Garrett"<joegarrett at earthlink.net  <mailto:joegarrett at earthlink.net>>
> wrote:
> >
> >>  Any news on the destiny of this list?
> >>  Joe
> >>
> >>
> >>  Joe Garrett, R.P.T.
> >>  Captain of the Tool Police
> >>  Squares R I
> >>
>
>
> -- 
> Duaine Hechler
> Piano, Player Piano, Pump Organ
> Tuning, Servicing&   Rebuilding
> Reed Organ Society Member
> Florissant, MO 63034
> (314) 838-5587
> dahechler at att.net  <mailto:dahechler at att.net>
> www.hechlerpianoandorgan.com  <http://www.hechlerpianoandorgan.com/>
> --
> Home&   Business user of Linux - 11 years
>


-- 
Duaine Hechler
Piano, Player Piano, Pump Organ
Tuning, Servicing&  Rebuilding
Reed Organ Society Member
Florissant, MO 63034
(314) 838-5587
dahechler at att.net
www.hechlerpianoandorgan.com
--
Home&  Business user of Linux - 11 years