<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40" xmlns:o = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1 = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2523" name=GENERATOR><o:SmartTagType = name="State" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagT= ype><o:SmartTagType name="City" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagT= ype><o:SmartTagType name="place" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagT= ype> <STYLE>  </STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY lang=EN-US vLink=purple link=blue bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV>Hi Doug,</DIV> <DIV>Yes, do go back and touch up the = tuning.  Always explain before a pitch raise that it is just the = first of several tunings to raise the pitch and stabilize the tuning.  = Myself, I tell them on anything over 25% low is a pitch raise now.  Another = tuning in 2 weeks and then in 3 months.  I do not do a pitch raise unless = they thoroughly understand this.  I write my own brochures and it = explains all about the peculiarities of a pitch raised piano and the expectations of such.  You will learn how to be firm and exude confidence in your = words with time and will come to not be afraid to speak your truth of pianos = and why they go out of tune.</DIV> <DIV>Jim</DIV> <DIV>James Grebe Piano-Forte Tuning & Repair Creator of = Handsome Hardwood Caster Cups (314) 608-4137 <A href="http://www.JamesGrebe.com">WWW.JamesGrebe.com</A> 1526 = Raspberry Lane Arnold, MO 63010 BECOME WHAT YOU BELIEVE! <A href="mailto:pianoman@accessus.net">pianoman@accessus.net</A></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black">From: <A title=pianotuner@frontiernet.net href="mailto:pianotuner@frontiernet.net">Doug Renz Piano Tuning</A> = </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">To: <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">Sent: Monday, December 13, 2004 = 7:51 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">Subject: Help with "bad" = tuning...need help</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV class=Section1> As a new piano tuner, I = am learning a lot as I go and tune different<o:p></o:p> piano’s and typically = I am tuning the older piano’s and some new/better<o:p></o:p> ones.  This past = Sat. I tuned a piano for a home that had a console<o:p></o:p> that had never been = tuned ‘in a long time’. I warned them that I might<o:p></o:p> break strings and that = it will go out of tune quickly because of the = condition<o:p></o:p> of the strings and the = piano itself. Well I was called back by<o:p></o:p> the customer saying = ‘the piano is still out of tune and you must not<o:p></o:p> have checked it before = you left’.  Before I left I told him, ‘your piano<o:p></o:p> is most likely going to = go flat somewhat because it has not been tuned<o:p></o:p> at all in such a long = time (20+ yrs) and that it should tuned every 6 months. = The<o:p></o:p> piano was old and = recently had some action work, but the strings looked<o:p></o:p> old and dirty.  I = was careful not to break any strings and when I left it sounded<o:p></o:p> good and the funny thing = was the customer said it sounded good after I = finished.<o:p></o:p> It was not that out of = tune, A440 sounded like it was between g-sharp and a, = but<o:p></o:p> not an entire half/step off.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> So, what do I do now? = Has anyone been in my shoes before? Go back and<o:p></o:p> do a ‘free’ fix it = up tuning, or tell him, he has to pay for a 2nd tuning. Is this<o:p></o:p> going to risk my = reputation? He had the action done by another local PTG = member<o:p></o:p> and I am afraid that if = I don’t go back and ‘fix’ this, I am going to get = that<o:p></o:p> reputation and the other = PTG member might tell others about the ‘part time’ tooner,<o:p></o:p> which I do not want to = be and this is why I joined the PTG, to get better. = Any<o:p></o:p> thoughts on this would = be greatly appreciated.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> I thought the tuning was = good, inspite of the condition of the piano and the strings.<o:p></o:p> It sounded alot better, = but I knew it was going to need another tuning soon.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Any advice, thoughts?<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Thanks.<o:p></o:p> Doug Renz<o:p></o:p> Associate PTG member, = <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Rochester</st1:City>, <st1:State = w:st="on">NY</st1:State></st1:place><o:p></o:p></DIV>= </BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>