<HTML><BODY BGCOLOR="#ffffff">Admirable attitudes one and all. &nbs= p;I share in it the vast majority of the time.  There are times, howeve= r, when just getting all the notes working takes up a fair share of the appo= intment time I've scheduled for the client.  In those cases, time is th= e limiting factor, and I point out to the client that at this particular app= ointment, getting the piano functioning is the priority.   On pianos where everything works at least reasonably well, I'm in total = agreement with y'all.  It will probably be a far longer time between tu= nings for the economically challenged.  And let's face it--if they can = stretch the budget to pay (usually at a very discounted price) for piano ser= vicing, they are more likely to appreciate your work than someone for whom t= heir Steinway is just another dust-collecting status symbol. Dave Stahl In a message dated 12/30/04 5:53:12 AM Pacific Standard Time, hoffsoco@l= uther.edu writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-= LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">My attitude regarding the l= ow end piano is the antithesis of a  comment I >read here on the list a few years ago: "I put a timer on the piano &= nbsp;and >when 45 minutes passes, the piano is tuned." > > >Mine too. > >Yes, it's harder  to tune that beast, but I think no one would = argue the >fact that we tuners  offer service to people.  Some people= own >Steinways.  Some people  own other pianos. > > >Case in point: I tune almost any piano within 15 minutes of my = house > (any farther and it s pretty much only good grands.) Today I tuned = a > Wurlitzer console; it was a neighbor s grandma s piano, with a card= from > Francis Mehaffey stuck in the top (Grandma lived in Claremont, CA, = where > Francis lived.) > >Anyway, I didn t just run through it, but tuned it as I would tune a= good >grand---slowly and carefully. > >When it was done, and I played it, the first thing out of my mouth w= as >that s the best this little guy has ever sounded. > >A good, focused tuning can make a huge difference in a C grade piano= .  Really. >David Andersen DEFINITELY!! The only reason that a tuning on a C-grade piano could take any less tim= e is that the point of diminishing returns is reached earlier.  Usual= ly, it takes longer because of reasons we all know. My tuning is done when _I'm_ satisfied that it has the best tuning possi= ble. i.e. - I tune for my own pleasure... Questions I ask myself before I close up the piano: 1. Is it the best tuning the piano can take? 2. Is the piano in better condition (exclusive of tuning) than when I fo= und it? 3. Have I addressed all the concerns the customer may have voiced? Conrad Hoffsommer, RPT, MPT, CCT, PFP, ACS, CRS. Decorah, IA - Certified Calibration Technician for Bio-powered Digitally Activated Lever Action Tone Generation Systems. - Pianotech Flamesuit Purveyor - American Curmudgeon Society - Apprentice Member and Founder </BLOCKQUOTE> </HTML>