IMHO the reason there is less string breakage when one lowers the pitch is that when you do bring it up with more confidence, you pass quickly over the former place of corrosion. It has been my practice to use the impact method of tuning hammer technique and especially on vertical pianos the first stress on the tuning pin is downward counteracted by the immediate turning of the pin. As the pin springs back the string is tightened. The tightening of the string occurs during the spring back instead of during the turning. Another consideration is that when one uses a smooth pull technique, there is greater tension over a longer period of time as one overcomes the frictional resistance, thereby causing more breakage. String breakage has come almost to a standstill since adopting the impact method. The same forces are at work on a Grand if one tunes from the 9:00 O'clock position using the impact method. I usually do not change position for grands, but rely on the sudden movement of the impact method. Jim Coleman, Sr. On Tue, 8 Apr 1997, Keith A. McGavern wrote: > >On the initial pitch raise do you break the tuning pin flat first before > >you go up in pitch? This simple procedure reduced my string breakage on > >pitch raises by about 80%... > > > >Warren D. Fisher > > Dear List, > > Thank you Warren, for mentioning this procedure, as it has stirred memories. > > I have heard this method mentioned many times in my years of tuning pianos, > tuning the pin flat before going up in pitch as a means of reducing string > breakage. I was wondering if any others also have personal experience or > knowledge concerning this procedure as really being beneficial, or is this > possibly one of those proverbial "wives' tales" handed down through the > ages. Don't have a clue myself. > > Sincerely, > > Keith A. McGavern > kam544@ionet.net > Registered Piano Technician > Oklahoma Chapter 731 > Piano Technicians Guild > Oklahoma Baptist University > Shawnee, Oklahoma, USA > > >
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