<html><div style='background-color:'><P>For the last 15 years out of the 22 I've been in business I charge $10 more for old uprights.  Have lost maybe 2 clients a year bicause of that.</P> <P>As for spinets, the only extra charge I make is for repairs that have to have the action pulled, then it is $75 plus the cost of the repair.</P> <P> </P> <P>Dick Day</P> <P><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11px; FONT-FAMILY: tahoma,sans-serif">Marshall MI</P> <P> <HR color=#a0c6e5 SIZE=1> </P> <P>From: <I>"TOM DRISCOLL" <tomtuner@verizon.net></I><BR>Reply-To: <I>Pianotech List <pianotech@ptg.org></I><BR>To: <I>"Pianotech List" <pianotech@ptg.org></I><BR>Subject: <I>Re: pricing</I><BR>Date: <I>Tue, 19 Sep 2006 11:13:24 -0400</I><BR><BR></P> <META content="Microsoft SafeHTML" name=Generator> <STYLE> </STYLE> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #a0c6e5 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Just my opinion, but if you don't want to tune spinets--(Which of course is your right) then don't. You create a slippery slope in multiple price structures based on piano type. (Squares excluded of course-Sorry Joe)</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    How many times have you arrived at the house to tune what the client described to find something different.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    "Sorry Ms. piano owner this is a spinet, not a studio --my fee will be $X more"</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    Good luck with that one.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    My approach on let's say a Kimball Whitney is to not agonize over a tuning that will be unstable at best but to tune quicker and devote time to maybe adjusting blow ,lost motion and letoff ,lube a creaking pedal etc. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    I'm at the house the same time as with a more careful tuning and the piano is so much better than if I used that half hour to retune the high treble.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Is  that piano a good instrument ? No, but a kid will have a better chance to succeed with his or her lessons after this approach and the work CAN  be satisfying.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    I had a nice call from a client recently thanking me for making the piano sound better than it ever has. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    Realistically ,the thing still sounded like crap, but it PLAYED better and that's what she responded to.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Tom --I hope I don't have to tune another spinet for as long as I live --Driscoll RPT</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    </FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr 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=richard.ucci@att.net href="mailto:richard.ucci@att.net">richard.ucci@att.net</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> Tuesday, September 19, 2006 9:17 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> pricing</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>I'm thinking about pricing tunings based not only by pitch adjustment,but also by piano type and age.</DIV> <DIV>Spinets and pianos older than 20yrs, highest fee, nicer pianos less etc.</DIV> <DIV>With more pianos and limited time, I would rather tune pianos that I could get better results with and less headaches.</DIV> <DIV>Any thoughts?</DIV> <DIV>RU/UP</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE><BR></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></div></html>