Question about tuning pins and strings

[Dave Nereson]

----- Original Message -----
From: jstuart1 <jstuart1@pdq.net>
To: pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Monday, August 06, 2001 2:27 AM
Subject: Question about tuning pins and strings


> While tuning a couple of the pianos I have, I noticed that some of the
> strings in the trebble unisons touch thier neighbors in the vicinity of
> the tuning pins. After further investigation, this seems to be the case
> on all 6 of the pianos I have. I am curious as to why. It appears that
> the tuning pins were set to close together in this area. How does this
> affect sound and tuning of the pianos? Are most/ all pianos this way?
> Even the baby grand I have is like this.
>
> Thanks
> Judy

It's just inaccuracy on the part of the factory when they drilled the
pinblock and/or plate and no, not all pianos are that way.  It won't affect
the sound,
but if a string "weaves", i.e., is deflected by other tuning pins and
strings on the way to its own pin, yes, it can be hard to tune.  Some
Kimball consoles are terrible in this respect.  You tune a string whose
tuning pin has another string resting on it.  If the string that's resting,
or bearing, on the pin you're tuning has already been tuned, it will be
thrown out of tune by the pin you're manipulating.  So you try to correct
it, but the tension of the string you're correcting presses on the one you
just tuned, throwing it back out of tune.  It's really frustrating.
Sometimes you can back a pin out or drive it in so that the offending string
doesn't rest of the coils of its neighbor.  If tuning pins did not
"flagpole" at all, there'd be no problem, but they do.  I guess you just
have to figure out which string will be altered the least by the flagpoling
of neighboring pins while tuning, and figure out an order in which to tune
them.  In extreme cases, I suppose one could plug and redrill the
tuning pin hole(s).    Sincerely, David Nereson, RPT