<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)"> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PersonName"/>  <style>  </style> </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=blue> <div class=Section1> No not offensive. Just changed the subject to money, at which I’ve never been good. I’ve seldom found myself able to “pay myself” well for what I’ve done, know it, so have done very little “shop” kind of work. I’m known as an excellent tuner, so pretty much just do that and charge somewhere in the mid-high range of the scale, but by no means the highest……  Gene pools and conditioning affect one’s way of managing in the world.<o:p></o:p> les<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <div> <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1> </div> From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Dale Erwin Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2012 9:51 AM To: <st1:PersonName w:st="on">pianotech@ptg.org</st1:PersonName> Subject: Re: [pianotech] in-home-service<o:p></o:p> </div> <o:p> </o:p> Les. No offense taken.  SO to your point then I have done it both ways many times & at this point I have to agree with Wim about preferring to be in the shop with the job...for many reasons. To each there own and I'm not anyones judge. Sorry if I seemed offensive.  I was just asking a honest sincere & legitimate question Best regards  Dale<o:p></o:p> <div> Dale Erwin RPT- Mason & Hamlin/Steinway/U.S pianos Pre-hung Ronsen hammer sets/Abel parts <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sitka</st1:place></st1:City> Soundboards & Supplies WWW.Erwinspiano.com 209-577-8397 <tt> </tt> <tt>  </tt><o:p></o:p> </div> <o:p> </o:p> <div> -----Original Message----- From: Leslie Bartlett <<st1:PersonName w:st="on">l-bartlett@sbcglobal.net</st1:PersonName>> To: pianotech <<st1:PersonName w:st="on">pianotech@ptg.org</st1:PersonName>> Sent: Sat, Mar 10, 2012 8:12 pm Subject: Re: [pianotech] in-home-service<o:p></o:p> <div id="AOLMsgPart_1_a2298eb8-1ed2-4844-bdb0-0fa8603b91b8"> <div> <div> Pricing wasn’t the issue I attempted to describe.  I am NOT good at business. It is a curse and a blessing. I live with the consequences of my decisions. However, piano money is discretionary money, whereas most of the service providers are not so discretionary, so pricing is not always fair to us.    When I go to a nine foot piano I tuned a month ago, which a church wants retuned for the arrival of a huge mucky muck and most of the notes are within less than one cent out, I don’t get paid extra because I do well. I get paid less than some, more than some, as I want to be competitive and yet have customers.   If the thread is going off into the issue of finances, then the original issue is finished, and the subject should be changed to finances or “how much to charge”, or “you’re worth more than that.”     I can’t argue your point- don’t have any desire even to get into that arena. Sorry if that offends.  It’s not an area where I do well.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> les<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <hr size=2 width="100%" align=center> </div> <div> From: <a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org">pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a> [<a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org?">mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a>] On Behalf Of Dale Erwin Sent: Saturday, March 10, 2012 9:57 PM To: <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a> Subject: Re: [pianotech] in-home-service<o:p></o:p> </div> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'> Hi Les   Good story and a good outcome. Now I take a left turn.....sreeeeeching brakes    I have wondered why it is we as and industry sell to cheap, give away work etc.  I've done it, we've all done it. But why? No other service provider does this! Call Sears, Abes plumbing , Chimmney sweepers or Ghost busters.... any in home service provider. They don't give discounts unless there's a promotional.  thoughts  Dale<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> <div style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'> Dale Erwin RPT- Mason & Hamlin/Steinway/U.S pianos Pre-hung Ronsen hammer sets/Abel parts <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sitka</st1:place></st1:City> Soundboards & Supplies <a href="http://WWW.Erwinspiano.com" target="_blank">WWW.Erwinspiano.com</a> 209-577-8397 <tt> </tt> <tt>  </tt><o:p></o:p> </div> </div> <div style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> <div style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'> -----Original Message----- From: Leslie Bartlett <<a href="mailto:l-bartlett@sbcglobal.net">l-bartlett@sbcglobal.net</a>> To: pianotech <<a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a>> Sent: Sat, Mar 10, 2012 4:08 pm Subject: [pianotech] in-home-service<o:p></o:p> </div> <div id="AOLMsgPart_1_aece6cd1-55f0-4e36-b599-ca3589bde705"> <div> <div> <div> Meeting today, talking about agraffe repair and vertical damper regulation, in one’s shop, of course.  I don’t have a shop, and am known mostly for my tuning. But I have done some regulation, and all of it has been in home, more than once lasting several days.  I’d just blathering to recommend doing such work in-home has some advantages. I restrung a Steinway M. years ago for a retired shop teacher, who I charged about 1/3 what I should have. At that price he gagged.  When I got into the action, I found I couldn’t even regulate it, so told him I’d have to replace hammers-shanks-flanges, and again I charged him way too little.  He double gagged when I told him the price.  Long story made short.  About half way into the regulation work, he said to me, “I am going to hand you a blank check, and I want you to write in what this is worth.”   I have to do most everything I do in-home, but each time I have done something like this in-home people have expressed great appreciation for the intricacy involved, and the complexity of this thing called “piano”. They have always been really happy to pay what I asked, usually saying I under priced myself.  So, I don’t have any axe to grind, just a thought that perhaps time spent doing work in-home can pay unexpected results in a positive way.<o:p></o:p> </div> </div> <div> <div> Les Bartlett<o:p></o:p> </div> </div> <div> <div> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Houston</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <hr size=1 width="100%" noshade color=gray align=center> </div> <div style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt' color="#000000"> No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - <a href="http://www.avg.com" target="_blank">www.avg.com</a> Version: 2012.0.1913 / Virus Database: 2114/4863 - Release Date: 03/10/12<o:p></o:p> </div> </div> </div> </div>  <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <hr size=1 width="100%" noshade color=gray align=center> </div> No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - <a href="http://www.avg.com">www.avg.com</a> Version: 2012.0.1913 / Virus Database: 2114/4863 - Release Date: 03/10/12<o:p></o:p> </div> </body> </html>