sagging center string

[John M. Formsma]

Hi Ed.

If you are doing a pitch raise, then the pitch can drop quickly, requiring
more work.  Since you have the SAT, are you using the pitch raise feature to
do pitch raises?

If the piano is close to pitch, then you might examine your lever (hammer)
technique.

What I do when tuning is to use somewhat of a jerking motion.  Actually, it
is a quick motion which moves the pin in the block rather than only twisting
the pin.  With practice, Very small movement of the pin is possible, which
helps stability.  If you are twisting the pin rather than moving the pin in
the block, then the string will assume its original pitch once it settles.
When I first began to tune, I was told to use a smooth motion, which (I've
discovered later) tends to allow for more pin twisting rather than pin
moving.  So, now I concentrate on very small pin movement using a jerking
motion.  Still learning, by the way.

After the pin is set, slightly sharp, you can flex the pin to set the string
where it needs to be.  Good test blow, and hope it holds.  :-)

As was said in another message, pin setting can be tricky.  I don't consider
myself an expert by any means.  Not yet--still working on it.

I'd love to hear others' techniques--it would be a good topic for
discussion.

Hope this will help, or at least stir up someone who can give better advice.
:-)

John Formsma

P.S.  I did have a Yamaha (U1, I think) that did the same thing you
described.  I set the middle string a little sharp, and found that it
"settled."  I don't know exactly what caused that.

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-pianotech@ptg.org [mailto:owner-pianotech@ptg.org]On Behalf
Of Ed Carwithen
Sent: Sunday, June 13, 1999 7:34 PM
To: pianotech@ptg.org
Subject: sagging center string


Most of my clients have older (much older) pianos (mostly uprights).  I
don't have much trouble with the lower or middle section, but that treble
section often is a real pain.  I use an SAT (God Bless Mr. Sanderson), so I
am able to get immediate feedback when the pitch slips, and after tuning
the center string, I go for the treble (right) string, and when it comes in
tune, the center has slipped, sometimes a lot.  By the time the left string
is being worked on the center may be even flatter than when I started.

I start compensating by leaving the center string higher and higher with
each set, and sometimes this helps, but chasing the pitch of the center
string down the musical scale is a real pain.

Eventually, I get the strings to go where I want, they even stay in tune
pretty well, but the time involved is frustrating.  There are times when it
takes me more time to tune from F4 to C7 than the entire rest of the piano.


Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I might improve my technique in
this area of the piano.

P.S.  I already do a quick pitch raise if the piano is 6 cents or more away
from 440; I will even to do the treble section quickly a second or third
time if it drifts flat.


Ed Carwithen
John Day, OR