Tuning Pins

[Richard Brekne]

Well.. this post in itself is agreeable enough Jim.. the point is that this line
is in response to a particular query, in which the situations you draw up as
appropriate are somewhat different.

The individual, after my reading of his post, refered to a piano with loose
pins, like in lots of them. This indicates a problem that I dont see pin tapping
solving.

On the other hand, if one first is in a situation where you run into one or two
loose pins while tuning a piano, I understand why some tuners do this. I do not.
I carry a supply of spare pins with me, and I will simply change the pin, and
make a note of it in the piano,  (either on one of the keys, or on a history
sheet if available).

If its a choice between tapping, dopping, or changing, it is my experience that
changing gives decidedly the best and most long lasting result. It is just about
as quick to do as either of the above proceedures, and I really fail to
understand why pin changinging is apparently some kind of "to be avoided" thing.
Quite baffeling really.. grin

Richard Brekne
I.C.P.T.G.  N.P.T.F.
Bergen, Norway

JIMRPT@AOL.COM wrote:

> In a message dated 11/12/1999 5:22:52 PM, you wrote:
>
> <<"I just was suprised that the issue came up.. and that there were several
> of you all out there that endorse this proceedure.">>
>
> Well you can add one more to this "several" endorsing tapping pins.  Of
> course the individual situation has to be evaluated, i.e. Is there enough
> height of coil above plate to do so?  Will tapping this particular pin
> present any undue problems with adjacent pins?  Will tapping this pin cause
> undue strain in bearing angles? and a few more that I can't think of right
> now. Pin tapping is an appropiate first response to an ocassional loose pin,
> , but perhaps not the only one.  To indicate otherwise is unsupportable. Pin
> tapping, as every other operation on pianos, can and has been overdone,
> poorly done, and done inappropiately.  To see techs using pin tapping is not
> surprising or in the least upsetting in any way, in my opinion.
> Jim Bryant (FL)