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<DIV>Hi Bob, </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I'll try to be in a better mood today. I am teaching my nephew how to tune
pianos and am glad that this 40YO is enjoying it. Pulling pianos up to pitch,
tuning birdcages, refacing hammers, regulating etc. He's slow at the moment and
I get a few calls when he is on the job.</DIV>
<DIV>He called me 3 days ago on a piano that was 1.5 semitones below
pitch, hammers wobbling all over the place and was worried because 3 of our
local tuners refused to tune the piano. You know 'get a new piano this one is
past it.' He played a few of the worst notes on the piano, listened over the
phone and told him to tell the customer about breaking strings etc when
restoring pitch etc and to quote the job and then pull the piano up to pitch. If
it survives then do the work quoted. It did and he did and put the action back
yesterday and the customer cried with joy because it was her mothers piano and
now it sounds beautiful. So much for the piano tuners in this state. Now
that statement does not apply to all piano tuners and I know some are good but
it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth.</DIV>
<DIV>Maybe some of them should be tested every year to see if they know what
they are doing let alone their tuning skills.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> How come they won't let you join down under??? </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>35 years ago I sold a Feurich upright piano to a music teacher who fell in
love with the lovely tone and tune of the piano. She was very happy with the
piano and invited her piano tuner to see the piano. This tuner pulled the piano
action out and found that the middle treble bar was cracked and repaired with a
cover plate and bolted back to one of the backposts. (Not my repair it almost
seemed like it was a factory repair) He told the customer to return the piano as
it was untunable. She did and I gave her her money back.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>This tuner then dropped into my shop a few days later and whilst I was on
the phone inspected 4 or 5 pianos and found an old birdcage with a 2" partial
crack in the webbing at the top treble. Piano was built in 1890 and was holding
its tune well and was the cheapest piano on the floor. I got off the phone and
said Hi I'm Tony Caught how are you etc. He replied "This piano is useless, it's
got a crack in the frame you can't tune it, you sell nothing but rubbish like
the piano my sold to the music teacher. I told him to get out of my shop.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Ten years later I went to Darwin (in northern Australia) with a contract to
tune for the Education dept. and for all and sundry. Developed an upright
action that allowed an upright piano play as well as a grand piano, had it
tested etc. Spent 3 years in China designing pianos and setting up a factory.
Returned to Darwin. Got older and decided that its is now time to go back to my
home state of South Australia. Applied to join the Piano Tuners association and
was told to P.O. as I threw this guy's father out of my shop 35 years ago.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>A few of the members were upset with this decision when they found out what
had happened but ultimately the bylaws of this this thing say that all
members must approve of any new member. Why try. Only 2 of the members have
taken a tuning test anyway so what's the point.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Can't join the National body because I'm not a member in a State. Can't
join another state because I don't live there. Can't do a test because I am not
a member.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I have been an overseas member of the PTG off and on for over 30 years, I
have been on this list on and off for 10 or 12 years and have thoroughly enjoyed
the learning experience and the comradeship I have received in both places. The
fact that I can't impart what I have learnt over the years to my fellow tuners
at a meeting with a few beers or whatever makes me a little grumpy at
times.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Tony</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=ITUNEPIANO@aol.com
href="mailto:ITUNEPIANO@aol.com">ITUNEPIANO@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> Wednesday, July 11, 2007 11:19
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Here comes the pitch</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><FONT id=role_document face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>
<DIV>Geez, Tony. I'm sorry I caught you on a bad day. I'm not
cheezed about anything, except possibly your incorrect evaluation of my
post. How come they won't let you join down under???
Bob.</DIV></FONT><BR><BR><BR>
<DIV><FONT style="FONT: 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF; COLOR: black">
<HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px">
See what's free at <A title=http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000503
href="http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000503" target=_blank>AOL.com</A>.
</FONT></DIV>
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