To counterbalance some of the remarks by Bill Maguire and Bruce Clark,
I haven't come across any of the cronyism, condescension or pecking
order they describe, in the PTG chapter I belong to.  On the contrary,
I've been amazed by how helpful, open and sincere all the technicians
I've met have been.  I feel free to call them when I run into a piano
problem, and they've called  me for help at times.  We refer customers
to each other when they're too far away.  The give-and-take is
wonderful.

My first exposure to the PTG was similar to what Bill & Bruce describe,
and I made the mistake of generalizing from my limited experience, and
avoided the organization for 25 years.   Looking back at my youthful
know-it-all attitude, I regret wasting those years when I could have
been learning from and contributing to the profession.

Perhaps they just got stuck with a bad chapter, as I did early on, and
I suggest rather than assume they're all the same, they attend meetings
of other chapters.  This is permitted, and I know several techs who've
switched chapters, finding it worthwhile to travel further than their
home chapter to attend more satisfying meetings and deal with more
amenable colleagues.

Again I say that to belong to the PTG and derive the benefits
therefrom, without contributing to the organization but only
complaining, is parasitism.  If you want to change things, you have
to get involved and try to work from within, but realize there never
has been or will be any association of more than one person that will
fully satisfy all its members.

Larry Lobel - Virtuoso Piano Service
Petaluma, California  USA