<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <meta content="text/html;charset=ISO-8859-1" http-equiv="Content-Type"> <title></title> </head> <body bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000"> I AGREE!!!! .  The problem is that many people can't afford luxury. Same as they can't afford to go on a cruise, or buy a new car. They make do as best they can, with what they have.  I also, have met many people who could afford luxury but didn't want to spend on  a piano that sounded  just fine to them. "  Splain that ."  I suppose that piano isn't as important as a cruise.  Recently appraised  a Yamaha  grand for a client who was looking to buy. The piano was owned by a Dr. and his wife, who was also a Dr. with no kids. They lived in a million dollar home, and this piano was a showpiece. Told us that they had owned it for 9 years, and it might have been played 20 times. Not by them, because neither one played. Never tuned during those 9 years.  When my client bought it , I spent about 4 hrs. lubricating the action, and tuning. ( 3 times the first week.) Tuned it again 6 months later.  Excellent instrument now. Wish  I had one of these every week. ( I'd be able to go on a cruise myself ) Carl / Winnipeg Maggie Jusiel wrote: <blockquote cite="mid1267.170.215.189.117.1105899191.squirrel@170.215.189.117" type="cite"> <blockquote type="cite"> <blockquote type="cite"> <pre wrap="">Hi Carl, </pre> </blockquote> </blockquote> <pre wrap=""> </pre> <blockquote type="cite"> <blockquote type="cite"> <pre wrap="">I see luxury as being an asset. I've never yet seen a luxury that was *cheap*. </pre> </blockquote> </blockquote> <pre wrap=""> </pre> <blockquote type="cite"> <blockquote type="cite"> <pre wrap="">What I do see is very talented well trained professional tuners who are afraid to charge for their skill set. </pre> </blockquote> </blockquote> <pre wrap=""> </pre> <blockquote type="cite"> <blockquote type="cite"> <pre wrap="">At 05:54 PM 14/01/2005 -0600, you wrote: </pre> <blockquote type="cite"> <pre wrap="">Problem with our business is that it's a luxury, whereas, a refrigerator, </pre> </blockquote> </blockquote> </blockquote> <pre wrap="">stove, </pre> <blockquote type="cite"> <blockquote type="cite"> <blockquote type="cite"> <pre wrap="">furnace, A/C are essentials to living. Can't see anyone leaving a furnace </pre> </blockquote> </blockquote> </blockquote> <pre wrap="">not </pre> <blockquote type="cite"> <blockquote type="cite"> <blockquote type="cite"> <pre wrap="">working for ten years, and fixing it so a house could be sold. Carl / Winnipeg </pre> </blockquote> </blockquote> </blockquote> <pre wrap=""> ------------------------------------------------------------------ Aristotle said that leisure (luxury) is more important than business because leisure was the goal of business. ;) I tune in an area that has lots of poverty. There are some people who are lucky enough to get a "free" piano, or one very cheap, but can't afford to fix it up and/or care for it. If someone lives in my immediate area (30 miles or less from my home), I will undercharge, big time. I have worked on pianos in moderately poor to extremely poor condition, but if I didn't undercharge, they wouldn't have been worked on at all. (I also learn alot from them.) These people can usually manage to have me come out every two years or so, which keeps the pianos playable for their children. I see it as community service. Of course, I still need to make a living, so I charge a more comparative price for "out of town" work. Some of these people still don't value my work, but many do, and are very appreciative for my services. When someone doesn't have money, appreciation goes a long way with me. ;) They value this luxury, and are extremely grateful I can help them maintain it. :D ...just my two cents... ;) _______________________________________________ pianotech list info: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives">https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives</a> </pre> </blockquote> </body> </html>