<html> <body> Dave, <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Hooking up with a store is the best thing you could do right now.  I don't know if you have such a connection or not, but it's worth a try.  You will get floor tunings/repairs/regulations (for which you won't make squat but you might be able to buy a few groceries with it), but most importantly, you should get free tunings of pianos that the store has sold or rented(charge double your floor tuning rate or more) and private jobs referred to you from the store.  If the management is cool about it, you will not have to pay referral fees or give the store a cut on the private jobs, because you've given them good service for a cheap price. </blockquote> I totally agree. That's where I got a LOT of my early training/experience, whatever, about 30 yrs. ago. Fortunately, the dealer was also a tech, plus he had another tech working out of the store, so I always had help when I needed it! <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>While I often whine about lack of prep of pianos by dealers, without the stores that I do work for, I'd be up an odiferous creek without means of propulsion. </blockquote> So have I, but once in a while we get lucky and end up with a dealer who's interested in quality work and is willing to pay a fairly reasonable rate for it. I do some work for one now, when I can get away from the university. My income would be appreciably less if it weren't for him! <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Just an idea, </blockquote> A good one! <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Dave Stahl </blockquote> Avery </body> </html>