Pitch Raising to A440.......Or Not?

[Clyde Hollinger]

Friends,

I have found no consistent way to know whether or not strings will tear in old
uprights when raising them to pitch.  Of one thing I'm certain; breaking the
friction first is not going to keep some strings from breaking, while it indeed
may be a factor for others.  I have done substantial pitchraises on pianos from
the 1920s and maybe some even older without a single string breaking, and I
have had younger pianos that seem prone to breakage.

Regards, Clyde

Patrick Greene wrote:

> Right now, I am seeing lots of old uprights.  If I raised them all the way
> up to pitch, I would be breaking strings left and right....