<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" = xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" = xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" = xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" = xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; = charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=ProgId content=Word.Document> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 10"> <meta name=Originator content="Microsoft Word 10"> <link rel=File-List href="cid:filelist.xml@01C5375E.DB2892D0"> <o:SmartTagType = namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PersonName"/>  <style>  </style>  </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple = style='tab-interval:.5in' id="role_body" bottomMargin=7 leftmargin=7 topmargin=7 rightMargin=7> <div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial = id="role_document"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Choose your = battles and don’t try to be a hero.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  = </span>You have a customer who is not loyal to her former technician, it’s a poor = quality piano, it’s kept in an unstable environment.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  </span>You should have charged her for = the pitch raise, told her that the piano might benefit from a string seating = and hammer mating session, and advised that tuning stability has everything = to do with stability in the environment. <span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>While I don’t pass out = pamphlets, when I get a new customer I always talk to them before leaving about = frequency of tuning as I try and establish how often they want me to issue a = reminder. <span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>I always tell them that the = frequency with which the piano needs to be tuned will depend largely on the = stability of the environment.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  </span>If the = humidity swings heavily in one direction or the other tomorrow the piano will = likely go out of tune.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  </span>I advise that = if they want to ensure greater stability, install a damp-chaser.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  </span>If they don’t, then I = advise them to tune the piano at least twice a year and say that it’s up to them = and what they can tolerate in terms of the piano sounding out of tune.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  </span>Even with an old customer, if I = find the piano has drifted significantly off pitch, I go through the rap again = just to remind them that environment is everything.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  </span>You’ll accomplish several = things:<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  </span>You will sell some DC systems, = you will clarify their requirements of “in tuneness”, you will = establish a schedule for their tunings, you will cover yourself for being blamed for = the piano going out of tune from a change in humidity, you will also be able = to talk about other things the piano needs that might contribute to a = perception of out of tuneness like string seating and voicing. <span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Pamphlets are nice but, = unfortunately, people don’t read.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  = </span><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span = style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <div> <p><font size=2 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span = style='font-size:10.0pt; color:navy;mso-no-proof:yes'>David Love<br> </span></font><st1:PersonName><font size=2 color=navy><span = style='font-size: = 10.0pt;color:navy;mso-no-proof:yes'>davidlovepianos@comcast.net</span></f= ont></st1:PersonName><font size=2 color=navy><span = style='font-size:10.0pt;color:navy;mso-no-proof:yes'> = </span></font><o:p></o:p></p> </div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 = face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>-----Original = Message-----<br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>From:</span></b> = pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <b><span = style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Piannaman@aol.com<br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Friday, April 01, = 2005 10:36 PM<br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> pianotech@ptg.org<br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> The day's = frustration</span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 = face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 = color=black face=Verdana><span = style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>List,<o:p></o:= p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 = color=black face=Verdana><span = style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'> <o:p></o= :p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 = color=black face=Verdana><span = style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>It's been a slow week for phone calls.  Getting people to make = appointments around tax time is like extracting wisdom teeth.  April has = traditionally been my slowest month, but I've kind of gotten used to it.  What's aggravating is when a customer calls to say that the piano I tuned a = couple of weeks ago doesn't sound "clear" according to her daughter and = the piano teacher(who came the day after I tuned it).  = <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 = color=black face=Verdana><span = style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'> <o:p></o= :p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 = color=black face=Verdana><span = style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>The piano is a Kohler and Campbell console, circa 60s-70s, with false = strings throughout the treble.  It had been tuned regularly, up to a year = ago by a tuner who she thought did a great job, but whose card she "lost."  I suspect other things transpired.  = <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 = color=black face=Verdana><span = style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'> <o:p></o= :p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 = color=black face=Verdana><span = style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>The piano is right next to a door, and the weather has undergone big changes = in the last couple of weeks.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 = color=black face=Verdana><span = style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'> <o:p></o= :p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 = color=black face=Verdana><span = style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>When I tuned it it was 20-50cents flat.  Hmm, great tuner...tuned a year ago...next to a door...I should have begun the education process = here.  Instead I put my nose to the grindstone, did a pitch raise--which she = somehow managed to talk me out of charging for (my first mistake!)--and as good = a tuning as I could get into the piano given the time and instrument constraints. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 = color=black face=Verdana><span = style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'> <o:p></o= :p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 = color=black face=Verdana><span = style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>I agreed to go back and see if I can make the piano "sound better."  I don't mind doing this ONCE if I can educate a = customer in the process.  Don't know if that will happen, because it seems that = some people choose to remain ignorant.  I hope this was the cork on a frustrating week...<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 = color=black face=Verdana><span = style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'> <o:p></o= :p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 = color=black face=Verdana><span = style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>Thanks for being my wailing wall,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 = color=black face=Verdana><span = style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'> <o:p></o= :p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 = color=black face=Verdana><span = style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>Dave Stahl<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> </div> </body> </html>