Tuner : Better the devil you know?

Yetty · Post by **Yetty** » 20 May 2005, 23:16

I would be grateful of advice, especially from within the trade.

The tuner / technician I’ve used a couple times for just over a year seems technically very competent and importantly able to find and fix the mechanical niggles.

However, making contact, getting commitment to make home visits, is really difficult. I feel like I never make it onto the bottom of his ‘to do’ list, and certainly of lowest priority. This seems to have happened on each occasion.

What should I do? Is it better to stick with ‘the devil I know’, or, find an alternative? (If the latter, any tips on how to find another tuner who is technically competent and trustworthy – randomly dipping into yellow pages seems a bit hit and miss)

Many thanks, “Frustrated”

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 21 May 2005, 03:36

He is probably busy; not enough kids are training to be tuners, and as older tuners retire the workload is increasing. I don't send reminders any more, as the work comes in on its own, as it were, without my spending twenty quid on postage and half a day writing every month!
The trick is to call him regularly, before the call is desperate. Do you have a tuning every six months? Ring him on month five.
Of course, it could be that you are not an easy client - well, the piano, not you

! Is your piano particularly old? Awkward to tune? An Eavestaff minipiano? Do you live in the middle of nowhere, not handy for any other tunings? Are you a long way from his home? Are you only in on the first Tuesday of December on the cusp of Virgo for ten minutes between 3 and 3:10 am?

All of us get clients falling into one of these categories now and then, and if we're honest our hearts sink when we hear certain dulcet tones on the answerphone and consider getting our spouse to ring and say we've gone mad and had to be shot and could they ring someone else...

If it really drives you mad, ask around your friends for another recommendation for a tuner they like.
Of course, it could be that he didn't get chocolate biscuits with his cuppa...

!

Steve071261 · Post by **Steve071261** » 21 May 2005, 14:11

Hi,

I'm sure Gill's advice above is excellent, and hopefully will help you do the trick. One suggestion: you don't tell us where you live (approximately, not your actual address!). If we knew that, maybe some other reader of this forum would be able to give you a personal recommendation of somebody in your area.

Bear in mind, of course, that if your tuner is busy, that's probably because he's good. If, as Gill says, tuners are harder to find, a tuner with time on his hands might be quiet for a reason...

cheers,

Steve

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 21 May 2005, 18:34

As a tuner, I find that I return home at about 7.30pm, have just enough time to listen to my voicemails and get around actually to replying to about a third of them!

Stick with the tuner you know and trust. A repeat message left on his/her answer-phone wouldn't hurt!

Best

PG

Yetty · Post by **Yetty** » 16 Jun 2005, 23:01

Gill Steve and PianoGuy, thank you for sharing your words of wisdom. Your comments were appreciated and helped me cope with the frustration.

The tuner in question did eventually visit and made the piano much more consistant to play and sound so much better (and for a rather reasonable fee!).

For me, I am sure the hassle was worth it. I'll stick with the devil I know!

Regards

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 17 Jun 2005, 14:04

Speaking as a devil

, glad he sorted it out for you! Don't forget; put a note on your calendar FIVE MONTHS AHEAD now, and start ringing...