<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" http-equiv=Content-Type> <META name=GENERATOR content="MSHTML 8.00.6001.19120"> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV>Likewise I know a tech in St. Louis that has tuned for 35 years and has not intention of becoming an RPT or joining PTG.  He does attend the Institute and regional conventions.  He does good work and occasionally I run into him when he and I service the same institution (he piano, me organ) on the same day.  He has called me occasionally on something that has "stumped" him and this year when I saw him in KC, I asked him again, if he would ever join PTG and he said - NO.  There again he has developed a reputation with his customers and they refer him so he has plenty of work.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Ken Gerler</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px" dir=ltr> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=tnrwim@aol.com href="mailto:tnrwim@aol.com">tnrwim@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> Friday, September 02, 2011 3:40 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [pianotech] Becoming an RPT, For Duaine. was Re: Is this the work of an RPT?</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV><FONT color=black size=2 face=arial> <DIV><FONT face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV>Duaine said</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 3px"><PRE><TT>If a customer finds and uses a reputable piano tech, does a reputable job (unlike the previous photos) - and - they are happy with them - and - he/she is an Associate - in my book - who cares. Again, if two people are hired to do the same job on two different pianos - one is an Associate and the other is an RPT - both do an excellent job - and - both customers are happy - should there be a difference in the - customers' - respect ? Yes, if the customer knows what an RPT is - and - NO, if the customer has no Idea what an RPT is</PRE></TT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV><BR> </DIV> <DIV>Duaine. What you don't seem to understand is that 95% of RPT's passed the exams not to impress their customers. They became an RPT for their own satisfaction and gratification. </DIV> <DIV>Until you pass the exams, you won't understand what becoming an RPT means. Every Associates I've ever had the privelege of passing felt a big sense of self satisfaction that cannot be explained. It gave them confidence and great deal of self worth. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Unfortunately, until you pass the RPT exams, you won't understand what I'm talking about. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Wim Blees, RPT</DIV> <DIV>Hawaii</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">-----Original Message-----<BR>From: Duaine Hechler <dahechler@att.net><BR>To: pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org><BR>Sent: Wed, Aug 31, 2011 6:41 pm<BR>Subject: Re: [pianotech] Is this the work of an RPT?<BR><BR> <DIV style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff; MARGIN: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif; COLOR: #000; FONT-SIZE: 12px" id=AOLMsgPart_0_cb30b2f6-c5fd-4e38-a9f2-608955c49924><PRE style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt"><TT>On 08/31/2011 10:18 PM, Tom Rhea, Jr. wrote: > <snip> > > To those that see little or no value in moving beyond Associate status I can > only encourage you to earn your RPT and join the ranks of those who have > earned their designation. I earned professional designations in the IT > industry and they helped immensely while I performed in that field. A RPT > designation is recognized in this industry as indicative of a person's > commitment, training and devotion to our craft. With perseverance, I, too, > hope to join you soon. > > Thanks for listening. > > Tom Rhea > Rhea Piano Service > Norfolk, VA This is a good - and - bad example of comparison. If a customer finds and uses a reputable piano tech, does a reputable job (unlike the previous photos) - and - they are happy with them - and - he/she is an Associate - in my book - who cares. Again, if two people are hired to do the same job on two different pianos - one is an Associate and the other is an RPT - both do an excellent job - and - both customers are happy - should there be a difference in the - customers' - respect ? Yes, if the customer knows what an RPT is - and - NO, if the customer has no Idea what an RPT is Plus, it's the customers' right and prerogative, if they want to - only - hire an RPT. Now on the flip side, the IT industry has just about forced the issue of being "certified" to even - get - a job. Again, as I stated many times before, RPT status - is - not - going to help - much - when one is an antique player piano restorer - and - an antique pump organ restorer. Also, again, as many have stated before, an electronic tuned piano can and do sound just as good as an aural tuned piano. Furthermore, if a person likes a certain way a piano is tuned - an electronically tuned piano - can - be - tuned - e x a c t l y - the same way forever. So, get off my back - and - move on ......... Duaine -- Duaine Hechler Piano, Player Piano, Pump Organ Tuning, Servicing& Rebuilding Reed Organ Society Member Florissant, MO 63034 (314) 838-5587 <A href="mailto:dahechler@att.net">dahechler@att.net</A> <A href="http://www.hechlerpianoandorgan.com/" target=_blank>www.hechlerpianoandorgan.com</A> -- Home& Business user of Linux - 11 years </TT></PRE></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></BODY></HTML>