<HTML>Dear Jeannie, What wonderful. good, solid advice you have given about training someone new to the piano service field. This post should be reprinted in the PTG Journal. It sure is accurate  & is based on a lot of experience, & well meaning. One of the advantages that a starting Tech had many years ago was that most of the music stores had large numbers of stock pianos on the floor & in inventory, waiting to be sold & Techs would go to work for the dealer & do stock tuning every day  & this would help to develop their skill. The charge to the dealer was 1/2 the price of the tuning price to the home. When I started, the average home price for a standard tuning was four dollars!. Also, after a piano was sold, the store Tech would go out & give a "free" tuning to the customer. The Tech was paid 1/2 the regular customer charge & in some cases, the Tech was allowed to keep the customer as their own, & thus could build a business. Othe dealers kept the customers for themselves & all future service was done through the store. All that system is mostly gone now, & so, it is a lot more difficult for a new Tech to get established. Our trade needs new people, & your words of wisdom are a helpful guideline to those training & those desireing to become Piano Technicians. One final word to you & others- It's wonderful to see young people such as yourself,  come along and take the reins of leadership in our trade & PTG, which will ensure it's future & be better. Regards,    Willis Snyder                                                                                             </HTML>