<html><body> <DIV><FONT face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Hey Guys, as in friends not just guys</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Speaking of starting out  I'm a little discouraged about the amount of time it takes to tune a piano.  I'm almost too embarassed to say how long it takes me.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Today, I did a free piano, a practice piano for a Catholic Thrift store.  It was a small grand, an off brand I've never heard of.  Made somewhere in Jersey.  Anyway, it was sooooo flat, that I had to raise pitch and tune at the same time.  I mean it was so off that non of the octives even sounded remotely like each other.  I labored over that thing for 6 hours.  It had lose tuning pins plus other regulating issues.  I wouldn't be suprised if it had cracks in the sound board.  It was interesting.  The lid porpped up like a grand, but had another divided part that flipped back before I could take off the panel that exposes the pins.  I labored over that thing for 6 hours. I guess all of you pros out there are probably have a good laugh over that one. :)  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>So what can I do to improve my speed. I lose time inserting the rubber mute and getting to the right pin, ie. counting dampers to make sure I have the right set of pin, oh ok A# is three pins to the right of the strut etc.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>I'll probably have to go back and retune it if they'll let me.  One of the cashiers kept asking customers if they wanted to take me with them on their way out.  Imagine that, I could have had a free dinner and didn't know it. I took my family out instead.  </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: Ron Nossaman <rnossaman@cox.net> <BR><BR>> <BR>> > It is all about confidence. I was regularly asked the question of how <BR>> > long I had been tuning when I first started out. Now it hardly every <BR>> > gets asked. <BR>> > <BR>> > Dean <BR>> <BR>> I still get asked once in awhile. "Long enough to know better" is <BR>> the usual reply. <BR>> Ron N <BR>> _______________________________________________ <BR>> pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives </BLOCKQUOTE></body></html>