Hand Hammer Re-covering Europiano Congress The Octave Crusher August 2009 Christopher Clarke, expert tutor of the Hand Hammer Re-covering course at Finchcocks, with the 1866 Erard Grand which the class worked on. Read Tania Staite’s full report inside. Smart, Simple, CyberTuner!® Accurate. Consistent aural quality tunings for all experience levels. Easy historical temperaments. Fast, precise pitch raises. Contact us for a free demo DVD. Find out why RCT is preferred by so many piano tunertechnicians. Distributors Heckscher & Co. Ltd. 75 Bayham Street London NW1 0AA phone: 02073871735 fax: 02073873043 email: [email protected] Reyburn Piano Service, Inc. phone: 16166961002 or 18887638440 (USA) email: [email protected] Odd Aanstad (Sweden) phone: (+46) 570 511 84 email: [email protected] Above, Pocket RCT’s tuning module “CyberEar” on a Pocket PC. CyberEar’s spinner gives you the ultimate in pitch control. Reyburn CyberTuner Pocket PC Windows Macintosh www.reyburn.com What could this be? See page 17 Bechstein Factory Visit Page 20 Editorial — 4 President Writes — 5 Membership News — 6 Retail Tails — 10 Ralph and Jean Long — 11 Sales Encouragement Scheme — 11 Students’ Pages — 12 Hand Hammer Re-covering — 14 The Octave Crusher — 17 Europiano Congress — 20 Book Review — 24 Letters — 25 PTA Diary — 27 For your advertising in PTA News, at very reasonable rates, please contact: Tania Staite, Flat 8, Deepdene, 15 Streatham Common Northside, London, SW16 3HQ. Copy may then be emailed to the Editor at:[email protected] The next deadline for PTA News is by an SAE. Please obtain the necessary permission Friday 18th September 2009. before submitting copyrighted items. PTA News PTA News is the Newsletter for the Pianoforte Cobblestones Tuners’ Association. All views expressed are those of Church Lane the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the Great Holland views of the PTA or the editorial team. FRINTON-ON-SEA Please address letters intended for publication to Essex CO13 0JS ‘The Editor’, preferably sent via email, computer disk [email protected] or typed. Items can only be returned if accompanied August 2009 3 Welcome to the August PTA Editorial News! Firstly, I must thank everyone who has Matthew Gough sent in articles. It makes PTA News a much more diverse and interesting read than even speak to another would be the case if I had to create lots of tuner if you chose not to. articles myself. So thanks again but please At college I would never don’t stop! Whether you are a regular have dreamt that this could ever be the case. contributor or just want to send in a one-off We were a pretty close group who mixed story or letter I can tell you that I know socially as well as at College. One of our your contribution is most definitely read number was Peter Wood, an excellent chap and valued by the membership as well as with a good sense of humour. I had many a by me! good laugh with Pete, a fair few pints and a Included in this issue is a very good old sing song. We used to play our interesting review of a hand hammer guitars at lunchtimes in a quiet college re-covering course at Finchcocks in Kent, a stairwell where no one could hear us report from our President on the Europiano singing Lindisfarnes’ ‘Meet Me On The Convention held in Prague and a piece Corner’ song; thankfully so! about the Golden Wedding of Jean and Pete was also a fantastic tuner. More Ralph Long, which included 3 past PTA often than not he came first in all the Presidents amongst the happy revellers! Tuning Tests and was certainly the man to Ralph has been a member of the PTA beat. for very many years and an active one at Although at one time a PTA Student that. I am always surprised when I hear who attended the odd convention, Pete members leaving with the criticism that the never took his PTA Test and rather PTA ‘isn’t value for money’. disappeared from view from most of us. I I suppose the material value depends on last saw him ten years ago at a ‘reunion’ one’s circumstances. For myself I find that where he looked happy and settled. How I the free Public Liability Insurance (which wish I’d stayed in touch because as you will most of us should have by law), low read later in this issue he died last year, far advertising rates through the Yellow Pages too young at the age of 48. Corporate Scheme and the extra customers It’s so easy to lose touch and although I that the standing of being a PTA Member don’t see many of my old college chums as bring, makes the subscription fee well often as I should, at least those of us worth it on their own. associated with the PTA still have that Then there’s the educational benefits. connection between us. Maybe we Seminars, such as the Steinways Seminar occasionally see our names on the Pianolist, on 26th September, classes at the PTA catch up with each other at a PTA Convention and the almost instantaneous Convention or see a photo or letter in PTA advice or solutions to technical queries or News. This brings back the memories and workshop problems available through the helps keep the contact. ‘pianolist’, the PTA’s Internet forum. Well worth it I’d say. To me, almost as important as all these Happy Tuning..... benefits is the feeling of ‘belonging’ in a profession in which you could easily never 4 The President Writes I would like Brian Frost to start by congratulating Matthew Gough on his excellent first edition as Editor PTA Secretary an e-mail or leave a message on the of PTA News. Thank you to office number. Someone will everyone for their contributions and then be in touch and guide you through the well done Matthew! process. As mentioned in the last issue of PTA I am delighted to report that The News, Derek Love of The Piano Workshop Association of Blind Tuners was elected a in Reigate hosted ‘Meet the PTA’ event at member of Europiano at the recent his rather smart new showroom in Reigate Europiano Annual General Meeting in the on June 5th. It is never easy to predict how Czech Republic (see my article in this issue much interest one of these evenings will of PTA News). I look forward to attending muster, but I am delighted to report that the November delegate’s meeting in there were four tuners who expressed a Frankfurt along with a colleague from the serious interest in joining the Association. ABPT. Thanks Derek for enabling this to happen. If you would like to run a similar event they are really easy to set up; just send the PIANO TUNING SURVEY What are your thoughts on your profession? Are you concerned about the future of piano tuning? Do you think there is a need to train more piano tuners? If you are a Piano Tuner working in the UK, please take the time to complete a short survey put together by an independent researcher. The survey’s aim is to look at the future of the piano tuning industry by analysing those working in the field today. This survey also provides an opportunity for professionals to write their comments, opinions and suggestions on this topic. All information collected is anonymous and strictly confidential, and falls under the terms and conditions of Data Protection Act. If you are interested and you have access to the Internet please go to the link, http://FreeOnlineSurveys.com/rendersurvey.asp?sid=2ecnkukiikztb6c620027 Alternatively, you can email Lilly at [email protected] to organise a paper survey sent to your business address or if you’d prefer a telephone interview can be arranged. Thank you for your cooperation and time! August 2009 5 Please check Membership News your entries in the new 2009 Year Annette Summers Book. If there are any amendments or you have not received a Year Book please contact Annette, details p.27 We welcome our newest Member: 1210 Mr Rupert Frost, Richard Reason Pianos, 94 Tilehouse Street, HITCHIN, Herts SG5 2DW Tel: 01462 454244 Here are changes to note from the 2009 Year Book: 1209 Mr Cliff Sanders e-mail address: [email protected] Postal address: 3 Little Thrift, Petts Wood, ORPINGTON Kent BR5 1NQ S278 Mr Andrew Dawes Flat 5, 12 Campden Road, CROYDON CR2 7EN 1155 Mr Paul Cray New Landline Tel: 01986 895175 1162 Shelley Duncan e-mail: [email protected] S307 Fran Overbury e-mail: [email protected] S304 Mr G Elliott 12 Guildown Avenue, Finchley LONDON N12 7DQ Tel: 020 84460983 Mobile: 07903 483987 e-mail: [email protected] 1077 David Goldwag 2 Alma Close, Hatherley, CHELTENHAM GL51 3NA 995 Neil Hoggan Durham Lodge, Gordon Road, CROWBOROUGH East Sussex TN6 1EW Tel: 01892 652606 A66 Eri Onami Flat E 6/F, Twighlight Court, 2 Caperidge Drive, Discovery Bay, HONG KONG 1057 Adrian Carpenter e-mail: [email protected] You should find a booking form for a trip to the Renner Factory, Stuttgart in the envelope with this Newsletter. Please take a look since this promises to be an excellent trip! 6 PTA CONVENTION - Hereford, May 2009 Fletcher and Newman Fletcher and Newman A pensive Steve Cook awaits That’s better! Plenty of punters customers on his impressive stand and a full order book. TOP QUALITY USED MODERN JAPANESE PIANOS supplied to piano tuners at trade prices commission paid for introductions Yamaha model Ul, U2 ,U3, U7, AUX, 101 uprights Other makes, Atlas Apollo Toyo etc.