<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 5.50.4522.1800" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV>I think Jon Page covered this pretty well, but additionally, the = drawings that I carry in my stringing tool box on service calls are the ones = appearing on page 106 in Reblitz, 2nd edition. The first one I ever did worked = great - tried it in a client's home! Of the couple dozen or so I have now done, = only one failed, and that went right away, so I could redo it right then and = there. I did one the other day in the plain wire section just like the one on page = 111 of the same book - right up within the tuning pins. Boy was I proud of myself! = Just give it a whirl. I had always wondered what those round needle-nose = plyers were for. I had them for about two years before I ever tried to tie a knot. I = figured I could not do it either - but I was wrong! Good luck.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Terry Farrell <SPAN = id=__#Ath#SignaturePos__></SPAN> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=Billbrpt@AOL.COM = href="mailto:Billbrpt@AOL.COM">Billbrpt@AOL.COM</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, August 23, 2001 = 5:22 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Joining PTG (to Patrick)</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT size=2>In a = message dated 8/23/01 4:10:40 PM Central Daylight Time, <BR><A href="mailto:cedel@supernet.com">cedel@supernet.com</A> (Clyde = Hollinger) writes: <BR><BR><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px = solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px" TYPE="CITE">Patrick, <BR><BR>       Several things.  First, it does not take much time to join PTG.  You = <BR>need to get an application and submit it to your local chapter, and they = <BR>need to <BR>accept it, for which you will probably need to attend a chapter = meeting.   <BR>If you <BR>are accepted, I highly recommend you attend = the chapter meetings regularly. <BR>       Second, you do not = need to pass exams to join PTG, but you must to <BR>become an RPT = (Registered Piano Technician).  I urge you to make this your <BR>goal, <BR>as it = forces you to learn things you may otherwise never get around to = <BR>practicing.  The PTG has assembled resources you can buy that are well = <BR>worth the <BR>price. <BR>       Third, = if you are "terrible" at replacing/splicing strings, you may <BR>be = <BR>going at it wrongly, or you may just need more practice.  And some of them = <BR>are a <BR>bugger for nearly everyone, I suspect.  Can you get a = junker piano <BR>somewhere to <BR>practice on?  That's what I did. =  You can practice all kinds of things to <BR>your <BR>heart's content = without being embarrassed if you botch things up. <BR><BR>Regards, <BR>Clyde = Hollinger, RPT <BR>Lititz, PA, USA <BR><BR>Patrick Greene wrote: <BR><BR>> I have been busy trying to get my <BR>> BS in = business and have not had the time to join PTG.  I fully intend to <BR>do = <BR>> it, but feel a little worried that I would have a hard time passing = the <BR>> exam.  It is not the tuning part that I am worried = about.  It is the <BR>string <BR>> tying test.  I am terrible = at replacing strings and/or tying them for that <BR>> matter, = therefore I feel that I would not pass that part of the test. <BR></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT><FONT lang=0 face=Arial color=#000000 = size=3 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><BR>Nicely stated Clyde.  I didn't see the = original post but I'd like to add <BR>something.  While splicing a string = is part of the Technical Exam, you can <BR>still pass that test even if you = refuse to or don't know how to splice a <BR>string. <BR><BR>Some people are = taught that string splicing is a substandard way to make a <BR>repair and thus = have never learned the technique.  If a technician is very <BR>well = practiced in all other aspects, missing that one task won't cause that <BR>person to = fail the exam.  In fact, the exam is designed to have enough = <BR>difficulty to make perfection a nearly unattainable goal. <BR><BR>On the other hand, = string splicing is not all that difficult once you <BR>understand and = practice the technique.  Having someone who knows how to do it <BR>well show = you step by step is the best way to learn. <BR><BR>Be challenged, not = intimidated by the PTG Exams! <BR><BR></FONT><FONT lang=0 face=Arial = color=#000000 size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF">Bill Bremmer RPT <BR>Madison, Wisconsin</FONT> </FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>