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<BODY style="BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none; BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none"><BR>When that happens, I've always wanted to advise piano owners that the practice/theory book they were using wasn't very good...Alfred's, Thompson whatever...was THAT what the teacher recommended? I've never done it but always fantasized about it...;-] <BR><BR>I have called teachers before and read them the riot act when they gave bad advice. Get the number from your customer...<BR><BR>David Ilvedson, RPT<BR>Pacifica, California<BR><BR><BR><BR>
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Original message<BR>From: piannaman@aol.com<BR>To: pianotech@ptg.org<BR>Received: 3/10/2006 7:36:21 AM<BR>Subject: Teacher's Advice<BR><BR>
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<DIV align=left> This is an old topic, but it resurfaces every once in a while.</DIV><BR>
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<DIV id=AOLMsgPart_2_0f7621cc-03d6-4106-9e5c-5dbb5406026a>I have a client who bought a Kawai Petite grand with a player system in it. I tuned it about a year ago--and replaced a hammer shank broken by the movers, who had removed the action.<BR><BR>I sent a postcard and followed up with a phone call 6 months later, and they said the piano didn't need tuning. Last week, a year later, I knew I was going to be in their neighborhood with time for an appointment, so I called to see if they wanted me to come out. The woman said yes, so we scheduled a time and day.<BR><BR>The day before the job, I got a call from the husband, who informed me that "the teacher thinks only a few notes are out of tune. She says that sometimes tuners will come out to touch up the piano for a lesser fee than a regular tuning."<BR><BR>I held my tongue, but guaranteed him, based on the state of the piano at the previous appointment, that not only would it need tuning, but a fair-sized pitch adjustment! was likely. He's quite a nice guy, and he accepted my explanation, but I was a bit miffed at the teacher.<BR><BR>Sure enough, the piano was 10 cents flat and some unisons had gone very out of tune. I played a few notes, and he heard the beating unisons and octaves. I adjusted the pitch and tuned it. I made it clear that it should be done again in 6 months. <BR><BR>How do YOU feel about teachers (who probably have their pianos tuned every 5 years) who offer this kind of advice? I get a bit peeved.<BR><BR>Just because someone knows how to "operate" a piece of equipment doesn't mean they have a clue as to how it operates or whether it needs service.<BR><BR>Whose opinion would you trust if asking about servicing a car, your mechanic's or your taxi driver's?<BR><BR><BR>
<DIV>Dave Stahl</DIV>
<DIV>Dave Stahl Piano Service</DIV>
<DIV>650-224-3560</DIV>
<DIV><A href="http://dstahlpiano.net/" target=_blank>Dstahlpiano.net</A></DIV></DIV><!-- end of AOLMsgPart_2_0f7621cc-03d6-4106-9e5c-5dbb5406026a --></DIV></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>