<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> </font>