<html> <body> Marshall, A strobe tuner utilizes a strobe light to freeze a pattern, if you're in tune, with the frequency selected.  They are fast to respond but do not effectively accommodate a  piano's inharmonicity.  I used a Peterson 490ST which had stretch templates in it for typical piano sizes.  I was constantly adjusting it while listening to the piano.  It's for sale...  I have a Verituner VT100 and there's no looking back, just onwards to confidently setting the bearings in ET aurally.  That test function is great. Andrew Anderson At 07:09 PM 1/18/2006, you wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">Hi John, Thanks for the encouraging e-mail.  I'm sorry if I misled anyone in thinking that i"m out to trick customers. E-mail is unfortunately that way, can't put tone ore xpression in it.   As for churches, no such luck. One of my tech friends has most of the churches, and I've talked to him about tuning them because he is tired of driving to our community.  I do have some income at least and we're not starving at least.  God is providing, and we pray on a daily basis about this tuning. He continues to help me improve my skills.  i'm curious, what is a strobe tuner?  Is that one of those electronic chromatic tuners that are real cheap under 100 bucks?  Marshall <dl> <dd>----- Original Message ----- <dd>From: <a href="mailto:john@formsmapiano.com">John Formsma</a> <dd>To: <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech List</a> <dd>Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2006 5:12 PM <dd>Subject: Re: One Piano Per....?? <dd>Marshall, <dd>Here's what you said originally, " I'm seriously thinking about calling churches etc and saying, 'Hello, I'm calling to schedule your piano tuning', and seeing if the take me up on it, or say, 'Oh we have a tuner already.' " <dd>What you wrote sounds like you are trying to trick a hapless secretary into thinking you are the regular tuner for the church who is calling to set up his regular tuning. You may not have intended it to sound this way when you wrote it, but that is how it appears to me. <dd>I can understand your frustration about needing money at this time, but if you want to build a legitimate and lasting piano service business, I would not do it this way. You have to begin somewhere, and right now, it looks as if you are at the very bottom working your way up. There is nothing wrong with beginning. But there is everything wrong with expecting to get tunings immediately (and for full price) when your skills are yet unknown to most. <dd>How about going to the area churches and tuning a few for almost nothing? At least you would be getting experience, and I bet churches would be willing to let you do some work, especially if they understand your need. Many churches have programs to help those in need, and it's not like you're asking for a handout. You are wanting to work. Even if you could negotiate a tuning for $15-20, it beats sitting at home earning nothing. <dd>There is a blind tuner in my area who got one of "my" churches this way, so I know it worked for him. The music director told me that his work is not as good as mine, but they are using him to "help him out." But you have to know what you're doing and prove your skills or you will never last long term. Another newbie is out there turning pins (probably with a Strobe tuner from the way they sound), and has tuned some of "my" regulars. No big deal, I'm neither worried nor bitter because I know that without good training, they will never last long term. Chances are I'll get the customer again, and if I don't, there is plenty of work for me to do right now. I'm working on improving my skills and adding new things to the list of what I can do, so I'll probably be correcting their mistakes for quite some time. ;-) <dd>Proverbs 14:23 says, "In all labor there is profit, But mere talk leads only to poverty." You cannot talk your way into work. As Dave Ramsey says, you have to leave the cave, kill something, and drag it home. ;-) Hey, I know it's tough. I don't like getting out of my comfort zone either. But if you want it, you gotta work hard to get it and keep it. <dd>Hope this is helpful, Marshall. <dd>John Formsma <dd>pianotune05 wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite=""> <dd>Hi John, <dd>Why is it dishonest to call and schedule to tune a piano?  If the have a tuner, they'll tell me, and have told me.  I guess I'm not seeing the connection.  I'm offering a service to tune a piano.  As for exploding over night, I agree, it won't do that, but in a few weeks woud be OK.  <dd>Marshall <dl> <dd>----- Original Message ----- <dd>From: <a href="mailto:john@formsmapiano.com">John Formsma</a> <dd>To: <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech List</a> <dd>Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2006 10:23 AM <dd>Subject: Re: One Piano Per....?? <dd>Marshall, <dd>This might work short term, but think about how it might affect your reputation down the road. I wouldn't want this to happen to me, and would feel misled and wouldn't use you again. I think it's a fast way to get a shady reputation. <dd>Regarding churches, why not something like this? Make an appointment to meet with the music director PERSONALLY and explain your situation -- that you're new and wanting to gain experience. Then ask if you can tune some of the older pianos, either for free or a reduced rate. (Around here, there are many infrequently tuned pianos that sit in Sunday School rooms.) Ask the director to evaluate your work, and negotiate a rate correspondent with your abilities. I'm thinking maybe about $25-40 per piano, but I'm guessing because I don't know your abilities. This way, you at least get some money coming in and/or you are gaining valuable experience while getting your foot in the door. And, you will have an honest reputation. If you do good work, you will get some referrals eventually. <dd>Don't expect your business to explode overnight. <dd>John Formsma <dd><a href="mailto:pianotune05@comcast.net">pianotune05@comcast.net</a> wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite=""> <dd>James, <dd>I figure I could get some tunings that way by perhaps catching a few off guard.  They'll schedule me and I'm in.  I'd hate to step on toes but I guess that's why they make steel tipped shoes.  Look out, Marshall's comming! <dd>Marshall <dd>  <dl> <dd>-------------- Original message -------------- <dd>From: "James Grebe" <a href="mailto:pianoman@accessus.net"><pianoman@accessus.net></a> <dd>> That sounds like a good cold call tactic. <dd>> James <dd>> James Grebe Piano Tuning & Repair Member of M.P.T. <dd>> R.P.T. of the P.T.G. for over 30 years. "Member of the Year" in 1989 <dd>> Creator of Handsome Hardwood Caster Cups, Piano Benches, Writing <dd>> Instruments <dd>> (314) 845-8282 1526 Raspberry Lane Arnold, MO 63010 <dd>> BECOME WHAT YOU BELIEVE! <dd>> <a href="mailto:pianoman@accessus.net">pianoman@accessus.net</a> <dd>> ----- Original Message ----- <dd>> From: "pianotune05" <dd>> To: "Pianotech List" <dd>> Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 8:44 PM <dd>> Subject: Re: One Piano Per....?? <dd>> <dd>> <dd>> My curiosity is, if one guy has all of the churchs, another has all of the <dd>> schools, another has Not! re Dam, the other has another college, and yet <dd>> another has IUSB, plus their loyal customer base plus the other tunertechs <dd>> whom I do not know, how do I <dd>> a. keep from stepping on toes? <dd>> b. find customers that they don' t have if the store the only one in town <dd>> cannot hire me? <dd>> Marshall <dd>> ps. Maybe I need some sort of low vision device in order to see these so <dd>> called pianos that are out there not being tuned. I'm seriously thinking <dd>> about calling churches etc and saying, "Hello, I'm calling to schedule your <dd>> piano tuning", and seeing if the take me up on it, or say, "Oh we have a <dd>> tuner already." <dd>> (grrr pulling hair out saying how much I hate this community!) <dd>> <dd>> ----- Original Message ----- <dd>> From: Brian Doepke <dd>> To: 'An open list for piano technicians' <dd>> Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 4:21 PM <dd>> Subject: One Piano Per....?? <dd>> <dd>&! gt; <dd>> What is the average number of households that own a piano? <dd>> <dd>> <dd>> <dd>> 1 in 75 ? 1 in 100 ? <dd>> <dd>> <dd>> <dd>> This is not a quiz, I am just asking. <dd>> <dd>> <dd>> <dd>> Brian P. Doepke <dd>> <dd>> <dd>> <dd>> AAA Piano Works, Inc. <dd>> <dd>> 260-432-2043 <dd>> <dd>> 260-417-1298 <dd>> <dd>> <dd>> <dd>> <dd>> _______________________________________________ <dd>> Pianotech list info: <a href="https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives"> https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives</a> </dl> </dl> </dl></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></body> </html>