> Date: Mon, 07 Apr 1997 00:55:32 -0400 (EDT) > From: TunerJeff@aol.com > Subject: Re: I Raise the pitch...on the pitch raise. > To: pianotech@byu.edu > Reply-to: pianotech@byu.edu List, I know I am probably in the minority here but I rarely if ever overpull the pitch during a pitch raise. If the piano is way off, say -100 cents, I will raise to A440 on the first pass. (If I suspect trouble, i.e. already broken strings etc., I may bring up only 50%) Then the second pass is raised from maybe -15 cents. The third pass is mainly in the mid-section of the piano with hardly a hello to the first octave or last. The bass is the least affected from a pitch change and the high treble isn't played much. Certainly if a piano is off from pitch by much, we are not dealing with a perfectionist. If the pitch is say -20 cents, I again raise to A440 on the first pass and fine tune as best I can on the second pass from about -2 cents or so. I use the Accutuner tuning unisons as I go from the bass to the treble. My feeling is the idea of overshooting +25% of pitch change leaves me with a piano that I have to lower on the second pass and I have a phobia towards broken strings. I would rather raise a bit than lower a bit. David ilvedson, RPT Pacifica, CA > > I also insist on tuning a piano to A-440. I explain that the piano > builders designed the stringing scale (what size & length wire) with a > particular pitch in mind. The stringing scale can't give it's best unless the > TENSION is also correct. Yes? And since I'm giving my pitch raise lesson at > the same time... they NEVER ask me to tune it flat (...I suspect they'd be > afraid to suggest it!). > > Rare is the piano that must be left flat! Most of the time I encounter a > piano that a previous tuner said; "Can't be pulled to concert pitch.", it > seemed to me that the 'tuner' was in too much of a hurry to do his/her job > right. I also make clear on the first contact that a piano that's been > neglected WILL require extra time to tune. It's rarely an issue that the > owner brings up. Generally, they expect to pay a bit more for the first > tuning after a few years (or decades) of non-service. > > Exception #1- You find 20 replaced strings in the treble, and the bass is an > ecelctic mix of universal bass, original wire, and odd-looking splices. Duck > and cover! > > Exception #2- Piano hasn't been serviced in 70 years (or more). In this case, > I will only pull the 'pitch raise' TO A-440 and not overpull on the first > visit, as I normally would for a pitch raise, to land the piano at A-440. I > will be back in 30 days, and then aim to put the instrument at proper pitch. > (Normally on a pitch raise, you must overshoot the pitch you are aiming > for...I'm saying that I use A-440 as the first setting for my A4 and DO NOT > attempt to yank it above that point... the piano will settle far below this > pitch, but nothing has ever broken from this gentler approach. Well... > rarely.) > > Exception #3- Heck, there are always reasons... but they are few and far > between. One thing I've learned about piano servicing is this; It's a > flexible world! > > Thanks for your time, > Jeffrey T. Hickey, RPT > Oregon Coast Piano Services > TunerJeff @ aol.com > > ps- As Randy is training many a tech, it's good to see that he favors pianos > being tuned properly. Where they were built & designed to be. Excellent! > :>) > jef > > ilvey, RPT Pacifica, CA
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