It saddens me...

[Robak]

It saddens me to read, in a post on the 9th August, that one of this groups members considers that
"Some of the high-end and concert jobs will still be there for the few skilled people (and the alarming number of bullshitters) that currently hold those positions."
This same member has variously called his fellow tuner/technicians "a desperate sheister", "an ass", "clueless. Sadly in this trade, many are."
I am saddened because I always thought we were like a band of brothers and sisters together sharing our skills with the public, either on concert platform or in Chinese Chip Shop, but now I find one of my fellow tuners suggesting that I might be a "bullshitter".
I have been a concert technician now for 21 years, with the much maligned Steinway & Sons, and have seen many colleagues come and go, and not one of them have been bullshitters. I have also met tuners from other companies at various venues who have also not appeared to be bullshitters.
Consequently, I would very much like to hear (or read ) this afore-mentioned quote qualified. With names if you like, but more importantly with personal knowledge of the matter. I am certainly not in the habit of publically posting insults about my fellow hard-working and knowledgable tuners and personally I respect anybody who has made or is making a living from this honorable and rewarding (and disappearing) profession.
We have much to learn from each other.
I certainly don't remember learning to call the public "scrotes", "misguided fools" or "fiendishly clever chaps with the slitty eyes in far-off Jappoland" as part of my college course.
Please, less of the bitterness on this very public forum. Lets work together to impove a great industry.
With ultimate respect to you all.

[Barrie Heaton]

I am saddened because I always thought we were like a band of brothers and sisters together sharing our skills with the public, either on concert platform or in Chinese Chip Shop,

IF this were only true - yes in some quarters there is god sharing of skills but only if your face fits and you are part of the system but if you are not then there is little help in the UK to upgrade your skill set or get on the ladder in the first place. Now that the Government is cutting funding to 52 weeks there will be less of us

on the whole I find tuners try to do their best but some fail not because they intend to but because lack of skills sets but at the end of the day we do this to make a profit and for some that can get the way.


Barrie,

[PianoGuy]

It saddens me to read, in a post on the 9th August, that one of this groups members considers that
"Some of the high-end and concert jobs will still be there for the few skilled people (and the alarming number of bullshitters) that currently hold those positions."
This same member has variously called his fellow tuner/technicians "a desperate sheister", "an ass", "clueless. Sadly in this trade, many are."
I am saddened because I always thought we were like a band of brothers and sisters together sharing our skills with the public, either on concert platform or in Chinese Chip Shop, but now I find one of my fellow tuners suggesting that I might be a "bullshitter".
I have been a concert technician now for 21 years, with the much maligned Steinway & Sons, and have seen many colleagues come and go, and not one of them have been bullshitters. I have also met tuners from other companies at various venues who have also not appeared to be bullshitters.
Consequently, I would very much like to hear (or read ) this afore-mentioned quote qualified. With names if you like, but more importantly with personal knowledge of the matter. I am certainly not in the habit of publically posting insults about my fellow hard-working and knowledgable tuners and personally I respect anybody who has made or is making a living from this honorable and rewarding (and disappearing) profession.
We have much to learn from each other.
I certainly don't remember learning to call the public "scrotes", "misguided fools" or "fiendishly clever chaps with the slitty eyes in far-off Jappoland" as part of my college course.
Please, less of the bitterness on this very public forum. Lets work together to impove a great industry.
With ultimate respect to you all.

I don't think S&S employ many of the above.

You are evidently a lovely guileless chap who thinks the best about everyone.

Fair play to you.

After more than a quarter of a century in the trade working across the spectrum of pianos rather than in the gilded cage of S&S I can assure you that you see things that make you cynical.

Some of the above italicised quotes seem rather unpleasant in isolation. In context however, they make an impact, grab attention and impart a certain levity. I neither think ill of the Japanese nor any other race, but when I came into the trade, the comments were typical of the public and lampooned by The Goons, Viv Stanshall and others. Yamaha pianos were considered "too bright" and "Oriental" sounding and were built by the 'masters of copying', the Japanese. Of course they couldn't possibly ever be a threat to the European piano industry...... The "sheister" comment was about some technician who wrongly told a school student that the ancient and tired Challen his school had disposed of was worth £10,000. That is misleading and wrong.

There are some wonderful people in this trade. There are also others who successfully convince people that they are wonderful. It's not my job nor anybody else's to name them. That would be unacceptable on a public and anonymous (read the forum rules) forum.

Kind regards and success in the work that you and your colleagues do.

PG

[Robak]

Thanks Piano Guy. It's just sometimes one sees things in a different way to the way they were obviously meant. Barrie's comment also brought home to me that the skill of piano technology isn't being taught the way it used to be. When my college (LCF) became a university, the standard started to drop, but before that we were only taught the basics. Everything I know now is from on-the-job training; frightening when you think of the level that those jobs are. I also appreciate that the standards out there vary considerably. Wouldn't we all like to do something about that!
After posting this morning, I remembered there was a suspected bullsh*tter who worked for S&S. He lived somewhere near Oxford and refused to move closer to town. He also refused to buy an A-Z of London despite having never lived or worked here. He kept phoning the office for directions and was late for everything.

Viv Stanshall ... there's a name I've not heard for years! I was a great fan of Bonzo Dog Doodah Band in a previous life!

[PianoGuy]

Thanks Piano Guy. It's just sometimes one sees things in a different way to the way they were obviously meant.

I can understand that, and do feel that I overstep the mark occasionally, but always intended with a pinch of salt!

Calling someone a 'scrote' for example, would be rather insulting, but a 'mean old scrote' has something of the Scrooge about it - especially in the case where used - a poster who had complained that tuning his own Yamaha piano (because his tuner was charging money to do the job properly) was resulting in the gradual destruction of his wrestpins!

Barrie's comment also brought home to me that the skill of piano technology isn't being taught the way it used to be. When my college (LCF) became a university, the standard started to drop, but before that we were only taught the basics.

I think the poor old place is being run as best it can with the (lack of) funds available. Good in the old days when from a Student's point of view tuition fees were paid and a grant covered all expenses and beer too.