<HTML style="FONT-SIZE: x-small; FONT-FAMILY: MS Sans Serif" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40" xmlns:o = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1 = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <META content=Word.Document name=ProgId> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2912" name=GENERATOR> <META content="Microsoft Word 11" name=Originator><LINK href="cid:filelist.xml@01C6A0D2.DFDBAD10" rel=File-List><o:SmartTagType name="PersonName" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType> <STYLE> st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) } </STYLE> <STYLE>  </STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY lang=EN-US style="tab-interval: .5in" vLink=purple link=blue> <DIV> <DIV>Brian,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I'll be very interested in reading what some of the more experienced listers have to say.  While I have never had to negotiate the kind of contract you are talking about, I do have some technical observations.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>You don't mention type of piano, age and condition.  Does it have a DamppChaser?  Is it kept closed and covered between Sundays?  Your phone number puts you in Indiana, therefore big humidity swings.   For estimating your own time (not necessarily for sharing with the church during negotiations), you might want to estimate how long you can get away with "tweaks" between complete tunings, and how long you can get away with tunings between pitch corrections.   Perhaps a year of bi-weekly visits consists of 4 pitch corrections, 8 tunings, and 14 "tweaks".  Also might want to have an understanding with the church regarding repairs, regulation, and voicing.   For example, if they are willing to pay for a tuning every visit, then on "tweak" days you could do other maintenance, thereby keeping the whole instrument in top shape.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Incomplete and not too helpful, I know.  Let's see what others have to say.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Mike</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV></DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt Arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=doepkeb@comcast.net href="mailto:doepkeb@comcast.net">Brian Doepke</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To: </B><A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech List</A></DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> 7/6/2006 6:04:43 AM </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Church situation</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV><FONT size=2> <DIV class=Section1> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Hello List,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Can you help?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>I have situation that I have never had before and need some wisdom on how to proceed.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">A large local church called me and asked for a proposal to tune their sanctuary piano. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The tuner that they did have was a member of the church and tuned it every week….yes every week. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The church is involved with a TV ministry and I am guessing that it might need “tweaked” every week.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">I am told that the piano will NOT be moved as much as it was in the past and they are thinking that perhaps tuning it every other week would be sufficient. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I did tell the caller that it sounds reasonable, but if they feel it continues to need the weekly tuning, then I would work with them.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The music department secretary was very kind and not gruff at all, but I am not sure what kind of fee to propose to them. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It would be great to have the steady work, but I don’t want to undersell my services either.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">They wish to have a month “trial period” to see if things work out. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I said that it sounded fair to me.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">I am used to tuning a piano twice a year, so twice a month is new to me.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Is there anyone out there who can share some wisdom with me on how I might proceed?<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Does anyone have a similar situation but the church/institution has you on a retainer fee ?<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><STRONG><B><FONT face=Jester size=5><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-FAMILY: Jester; mso-no-proof: yes">Brian P. Doepke</SPAN></FONT></B></STRONG><FONT face=Cornerstone><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Cornerstone; mso-no-proof: yes"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><STRONG><B><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-no-proof: yes">AAA Piano <st1:PersonName w:st="on">Work</st1:PersonName>s, Inc.</SPAN></FONT></B></STRONG><SPAN style="mso-no-proof: yes"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-no-proof: yes">Piano Tuning-Repair-Purchase Consults</SPAN></FONT><SPAN style="mso-no-proof: yes"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-no-proof: yes">260-432-2043</SPAN></FONT><SPAN style="mso-no-proof: yes"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-no-proof: yes">260-417-1298</SPAN></FONT><SPAN style="mso-no-proof: yes"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>