<html xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" = xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" = xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" = xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)"> <o:SmartTagType = namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State"/> <o:SmartTagType = namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"/> <o:SmartTagType = namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"/>  <style>  </style> </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple> <div class=Section1> As a new piano tuner, I am learning a lot as I go and = tune different<o:p></o:p> piano’s and typically I am tuning the older = piano’s and some new/better<o:p></o:p> ones.  This past Sat. I tuned a piano for a home = that had a console<o:p></o:p> that had never been tuned ‘in a long = time’. I warned them that I might<o:p></o:p> break strings and that it will go out of tune quickly because of the condition<o:p></o:p> of the strings and the piano itself. Well I was = called back by<o:p></o:p> the customer saying ‘the piano is still out of = tune and you must not<o:p></o:p> have checked it before you left’.  Before = I left I told him, ‘your piano<o:p></o:p> is most likely going to go flat somewhat because it = has not been tuned<o:p></o:p> at all in such a long time (20+ yrs) and that it = should tuned every 6 months. The<o:p></o:p> piano was old and recently had some action work, but = the strings looked<o:p></o:p> old and dirty.  I was careful not to break any = strings and when I left it sounded<o:p></o:p> good and the funny thing was the customer said it = sounded good after I finished.<o:p></o:p> It was not that out of tune, A440 sounded like it was between g-sharp and a, but<o:p></o:p> not an entire half/step = off.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> So, what do I do now? Has anyone been in my shoes = before? Go back and<o:p></o:p> do a ‘free’ fix it up tuning, or tell = him, he has to pay for a 2nd tuning. Is = this<o:p></o:p> going to risk my reputation? He had the action done = by another local PTG member<o:p></o:p> and I am afraid that if I don’t go back and = ‘fix’ this, I am going to get that<o:p></o:p> reputation and the other PTG member might tell others = about the ‘part time’ tooner,<o:p></o:p> which I do not want to be and this is why I joined = the PTG, to get better. Any<o:p></o:p> thoughts on this would be greatly = appreciated.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> I thought the tuning was good, inspite of the = condition of the piano and the strings.<o:p></o:p> It sounded alot better, but I knew it was going to = need another tuning soon.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Any advice, thoughts?<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Thanks.<o:p></o:p> Doug Renz<o:p></o:p> Associate PTG member, <st1:place = w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Rochester</st1:City>, <st1:State = w:st="on">NY</st1:State></st1:place><o:p></o:p> </div> </body> </html>