Reporting problems to retailers and manufacturers

[Withindale]

It would benefit the whole piano industry and improve customer satisfaction if, in the event of a problem, the customer's tuner/technician were to report problems not just to the customer but simultaneously to the retailer/manufacturer to avoid any misinterpretions and to expedite the repair.

Please email chris@chrisvenables.co.uk or phone me if you have any questions.

Chris Venables wrote this in another thread. It seems an excellent proposal but how would it work?

Should there be a standard form available on this website that customers and their tuners/technicians can use for the purpose?

[joseph]

Perhaps, or each piano should be sold with some kind of log book, and it should be mandatory for the tuner to sign it every time the piano is tuned, note any faults that could be a manufacturing problem, list anything that is the fault of the owner, and anything that is fair wear and tear.

I agree that the pianist should also state how much use the piano is getting - for instance, a piano that is played two to four hours a week is going to last a considerable amount of time longer than a piano that is played as much as mine, and a music college piano even less time.

Colleges these days are usually pretty good at having their main pianos in teaching and concert rooms serviced, and I remember the RSAMD had an additional 5 Yamaha grands that were kept in very good condition, and replaced when they started to fail, for us to practise on. We were so lucky as music students and yet we didn't really appreciate it at the time!

[chrisvenables]

Great minds think alike

Some dealers and manufacturers use something like our own guarantee and tuning record card, which also incorporates a 'looking after your piano' page. Please see below.


Should a tuner/tech discover a problem at the customer's home, a good tuner would contact us immediately so we can decide and advise how best to resolve the problem, preferably on the spot.

[joe]

RSAMD pianos where very well maintained at that time by Miss Vernal and the sadly deceased Joseph Ottolini excellent tuner/techs,then they decided to sell all the pianos and go on a leaseback scheme from a firm whose name escapes me and they wanted to control the tuning and maintenance also,and the tuners told them where to go as the lease company where going to charge the RSAMD £60 per tuning and where offering the tuners £27 and had to be on call 24/7 paid every 3 months.Think they now have a Polish tuner ?

[dancarney]

Our new Steinways came with an owners book, with space for the tuner to complete the service/tuning history (similar to what you get with a car).

Joe, I don't think the current RCS tuner (formerly RSAMD) is Polish.

[joe]

RSAMD Glasgow, while since have been do you know who tunes there now ?,Would also like to add that Mr Venables gesture is a breath of fresh air,and good PR,as am sure Brodmann will foot the bill.

[joseph]

Mr Venables gesture is not just a breath of fresh air, it's going beyond the call of duty on every level, really.

As for the RSAMD, it's a long time since I've been there, and I have no idea who the technicians are. The pianos are leased, that much is true. The accountants obviously think that's the best way forward, and if it gives the students the best possible pianos to learn on, then it's a good step forward.

I remember Marjorie Vernal, she tuned well. I don't remember Joseph Ottolini, although I gather he had an excellent reputation.

I'm not sure if they have a polish tuner or not, but whoever it is, has their work cut out! These pianos get pounded, and unless they've seriously fixed the fabric of the building and sorted out the air conditioning/heating - they are baked and then frozen on a regular cycle. The architects who designed the 1988 building, which houses the piano department and concert halls, thought it would be a good idea to have a flat-roofed building in Glasgow. Of course, it rains quite a lot in Glasgow, and so, flat roof leaks. A lot. They've had pianos drenched in that place, then they just dry them out and get on with it.

I remember they had a stock of Kawai KG-2 grands. They were absolutely terrible, but I don't think they were bad pianos - they were never maintained at all, barely even tuned, and they were kept in appalling atmospheric conditions in the basement practice rooms. The actions would squeak and stick, and the acoustics of the room were terrible.

That said, whenever we got the chance of a concert performance, it was always on a very well-maintained, tuned and voiced Steinway D or Yamaha CFIII which wasn't more than 10 years old. In 2003 or 2004 they got a brand new CFIIIS for their opera room, I think it was donated, and it was a beautiful piano. Absolutely amazing. They sold it for £15,000 in 2008. I could have puked when I found out!!!!

[joseph]

I'm assuming they were KG-2 Kawais incidentally - I didn't look inside, but they were bought new with the building, infact may have come from the previous building

[joe]

The leasing option is a joke,cause many of the pianos they had where still very much fit for the purpose and only really needed a good service,a waste of public money.Miss Vernal was the main tuner and Joe Ottolini and laterly Andrew Jamieson helped with the servicing on a part-time basis,we had for years suggested that a full- time position be allocated but where not interested due to problems with some previous tuners,who where employed on those terms.Good to see your grand is getting attended too,are they sending it back to the factory to get work done ?.