<HTML><HEAD>
<META charset=US-ASCII http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; cha=
rset=US-ASCII">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1106" name=GENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fffff=
f">
<DIV>
<DIV>In a message dated 1/4/2006 7:35:25 PM Pacific Standard Time, pianotune=
05@comcast.net writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue =
2px solid"><FONT face=Arial>It's real hard to tune in a thrift store</FONT=
></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style">Marshall,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style">One other possibility: Often pianos wi=
nd up in thrift stores because they have structural problems that make =
them untunable, such as a plate crack or separating pinblock. Since your exp=
erience is limited, you might miss feedback during tuning which will make th=
is more obvious when you've tuned more. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style">As far as the time it takes to tune, i=
t takes as long as it takes. It isn't a matter for either shame or pride. Qu=
ality is what matters, although speed is desirable for a number of reas=
ons, including avoiding fatigue. Speed comes with experience AND training. W=
hile there are specific speed skills that more experienced tuners can share =
with you, you also just need mileage. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style">You mentioned losing time muting. Even=
if you were fully-sighted, I would suggest you learn some strip-muting. Esp=
ecially on pitch adjustments, this will save lots of time and fumbling. You =
can also do things like leaving the tuning lever on the previous p=
in until you are ready to move it. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style">I don't know if you are a PTG member. =
It might seem expensive to a tuner without much work, but it will be the bes=
t investment you can make.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style">Happy learning,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style">Bob Davis</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style">Stockton, CA </FONT></DIV></BODY></HTM=
L>