<html><body> <DIV><FONT face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Hi Dave,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Thank you for the e-mail.  The only long term experience I have with pianos is that I've been playing most of my life.  I didn't know that one could take the PTG process in steps, but that's good to know because I can take it in steps and acheive it slowly.  I'm enjoying this new trade and learning so much.  Thanks Dave. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Marshall</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">-------------- Original message -------------- <BR>From: Piannaman@aol.com <BR> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2802" name=GENERATOR><FONT id=role_document face=Arial color=#000000 size=2> <DIV> <DIV> <DIV>Hi Marshall,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I'm not there yet....I still have to pass the tuning test.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I took the written test a little over a year after becoming an associate member.  I waited for another year and a half before taking the technical.  I'll probably take the tuning test in a few months.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I was in the piano business for 25 years before joining the guild in various capacities from tuner to salesman to mover.  Finally I can call myself a technician...</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Good luck, Marshall!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Dave Stahl</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>In a message dated 2/26/2006 8:31:48 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, pianotune05@comcast.net writes:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 size=2> <DIV><FONT size=3>HI Dave,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>How long did you wait to become an RPT after joining the guild as an associate member?  I'm not in a hurry, just curious because I want ample time to prepare and do everything possible to learn this trade first.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>A local tech gave me the name of a lady who wanted her piano tuned. It turned out that she was price shopping and RPT shopping. She asked if I was an RPT. I told her that I was joing the guild, associate member.  She has it in her mind since a piano teacher told her that anyone less than an RPT wasn't good enough for her. So, I figure, I better have my sightes on the RPT level as a future goal not one to stress over, but one to keep in the back of my mind.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>I'm just enjoying my new membership and the excitement of going to the convention this year.  However, I want to keep learning and moving forward one tuning pin at at ime. ;)</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>Marshall</FONT></DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV> </DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT lang=0 face=Arial size=2 PTSIZE="10" FAMILY="SANSSERIF">Dave Stahl<BR><BR>Dave Stahl Piano Service<BR>650-224-3560<U><BR><A href="http://www.dstahlpiano.net/">http://dstahlpiano.net/</A></U></FONT></DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></body></html>