Will established tuners dislike this idea?

Hello friends,

I have an interest in learning to tune pianos, mainly as a summer job (I'm a student) to fill in extra time between my other summer job next year. I intend to buy some learning materials and the tools necessary, and practice a bit before actually starting. However, I have no significant ties to any piano technician, and wonder if it seems premature to up and start tuning pianos with very little practical experience. Overall, I just wonder how necessary a mentor is while learning to tune pianos. Do most technicians have a mentor, or are many self-taught, as I intend to be?

My second question has to do with the already established tuners in the community. Since I have no repair experience, it's likely that here and there I'll have to refer harder jobs out to the seasoned professionals, and so I will inevitably come into contact with them. Will they be upset to see a young inexperienced student charging discounted rates, or is it possible they will likely see it as a business partnership where we refer simple/hard jobs back and forth?



Thanks
Ryan in Alaska

 

Hi Ryan,

As far as I know we do not have any professional tuners on this forum, so it could be you will get no reply. There's some people I know who tune their own piano but they may or may not have an opinion on the points you raise.

I guess it's possible that your intended summer job may cause animosity with one tuner/technician and friendly interest with another. It's impossible to predict and would depend on the person in question. I suggest you try to find out about the tuners in your community - there can't be too many in Alaska, and they might resent someone else undercutting your business.

Cheers,

Chris

 

I thought it would be better to bump this topic than to create a new one...
I'd like to learn how to tune pianos, if possible at a professional level - say, enough to make it a side job ; I don't have a clue where tuners "come from", and having an electric piano I guess I don't have anyone I can ask !
Any help appreciated