Complaint Review: Robert S. Koontz - Shepherdstown West Virginia

I am writing in reference to Robert Koontz.

I'm a recording artist who plays piano (as well as other keyboards).  I have toured extensively
in many parts of the world, played at least two hundred high-end pianos, and owned 5 grand
pianos in my lifetime including a Hamburg Steinway D and a Grotrian 277. Over the last 38  years,
I have encountered at least 500 tuners at show dates. 

Robert Koontz is a superb tuner and a competent technician.  He is one of the most sincere
tuner/technicians I've ever had the pleasure of meeting and working with.  I'm writing this
because it's unimaginable to me that he should suffer the pain of being on this rip-off website. 

I no nothing of the particulars of this specific case, but I know a hell of a lot about people
from years of touring, and I know a lot about pianos and piano techs. Robert is among the best.

If anyone wishes to contact me, I will happily speak with them or exchange emails.  I am not
providing my contact information in this writing because this site prohibits it.  However, the name
I've written this under is my true legal name and I'm pretty easy to get  in contact with. 

In conclusion, the only sentence in the complaint that did not sound false is that Robert arrived
late to appointments.  He's arrived at my house late several times, but he's always called to let
me know.  After having my home pianos tuned somewhere on the order of 400 times since I
bought my first Grand in 1972, I have seen a tuner arrive on time... perhaps 15 times.  It's
simply the nature of the business for tuners who travel to client's homes. They cannot schedule
a precise arrival time any more than a Doctor can schedule a precise consultation time, even
though most Doctors work in a fixed location.

Since my last post I went back through some old receipts. I do remember this client now. In fact, I'm amazed I could have ever forgotten her. I can't believe that she thinks I owe her money. Unfortunately, Dorothy has failed to mention a few relevant facts regarding this, and so, for anyone who might be interested, here is the rest of the story of Dorothy and her piano. When I first went to Dorothy's home I found, under a pile of debris, a dilapidated old player piano, worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $0-$50. She asked me what I could do and I told her that the piano needed a complete restoration. (A complete restoration of this sort would have generally cost around $8000 to $10,000.) Since there was no way she could have afforded that, I very generously offered to bring it back to playable condition (NOT WORK MIRACLES) for the sum of approx $600. I did this as a kindness. I thought she was a poor, sweet, lady, raising about 5 or 6 children alone, in a tiny, squalid house and I thought I would do her a favor. Ironically, now she wants my head on a silver platter, isn't life funny sometimes? All in all, I logged about 26 hours on this piano. Over the next month or so I returned to her home (an hours drive for me) on 5 separate occasions. I did everything I possibly could have for her. My normal rate of pay is $65 per hour plus parts. For those of you who can do the math, this means she paid me $600 and got roughly $1700 worth of work. Now, does that seem like a rip-off to anyone??? On top of this, I worked there under extremely stressful conditions. She had a brood of uncontrollable, screaming children whom she refused to bring to heel. Every time I went back to Dorothy's house something else on the piano had been broken and, simply put, Dorothy's piano was in such awful condition that it should have been dragged into the back yard and shot. I did what I could, I did more than I should, and I did it courteously and professionally. I also did it for about 1/3 my usual rate. I suppose the old saying is true, 'No good deed goes unpunished'. As for the rest of what she has to say here. It is a complete fantasy. A total pack of lies. I have never, EVER been fired from a job. I have never, EVER had a police report filed against me. I have worked my entire life, and have done a lot of good for a lot of people. I wonder if anyone reading this can understand what it feels like to do your absolute level best for someone, and then to have them twist and turn things, and write offensive and delusional things about you. I am very upset about this. I'm especially angry because I know full well that this web page will come up each and every time someone does a google search on my name. And my name is my reputation. And I happen to have a very good reputation. Professionally, I have tuned for concerts, recordings, and film. My references include such notable people as: Abbey Road, EMI Studios London (where The Beatles recorded), The Royal Albert Hall, and Doc Severinsen's Orchestra. Not to mention the thousands of churches, schools, and individual clients for whom I have worked. And they would all tell you the same thing, I am an expert in my field, I am professional, courteous, and ethical, and I am probably the best piano tuner they have ever had. If you have any questions regarding this you may feel free to contact me by phone: (415) 933-1187 or at my email address: [email protected] Thank you, Robert S. Koontz

I was very surprised when I read the comments you posted here. To begin with, please contact me with your details. If I have any past unfulfilled obligation to you (or anyone) I will certainly take care of it! I honestly do not remember you or your piano, but if I owe you a final tuning, it was an oversight and not a deliberate deception. It is true that I was in the process of moving around that period of time, and a lot was happening. Mistakes happen, and if I owe you anything I will most certainly take care of it. I must, however, take serious issue with the rest of your comments. They are quite simply malicious and untrue. I am not a conman and frankly the story you tell here about an accomplice, etc, etc, is just pure fiction. I cannot imagine who you are talking about?? or, where you would have gotten such a wild notion? Also, in regards to me having defrauded numerous people, etc, this is a total fabrication. I do the very best I can to maintain an high standard of ethics. Please send me an email and let me look through my records. If I owe you a tuning I'll send you a refund. Thank you. Robert S. Koontz. p.s. Laura, whoever you are, I looked at your other posts and I am writing this specifically for you. From what I gather you are someone looking for a dead-beat father? And while Robert Koontz is not that common of a name, I assure you Laura, we are NOT the same man and I wish you every succes in finding him.

Do you have a picture of this man?

Mr. Koontz's cell phone number still works. He may be using it at his next con racket location: 304-279-9176.