Mortal Fear of Pitch Raising?

[Joseph Garrett]

For all of you who classify to the subject, I would like to tell you that I
pitch raise Square Grands, Bird-Cages & really Olde Upright and Grands, on a
regular basis. My system, developed because of the propensity of these
critters to pop strings is as follows:
1. Check all structural components of the instrument.
2. Test A4 and see if it will come up. (In 99% of the scales I have
evaluated, the breaking strength of A4 is usually quite low, usually in the
30-40% range.) Tune A4 unison.
3. If all is well with A4, then proceed to lube the pressure points of all
strings. I use LPS-1, obtainable from Ace Hardware Stores or any GOOD
Hardware store. To do this I use a small artists brush. Spray a bit in the
cap that comes with the LPS-1. Apply sparingly.
4. On uprights, I use an Impact Hammer and on grands, etc., I use a "jerk"
tuning method that does the same thing as the Impact Hammer.
5. Set my SAT to page #1, which is the pitch raising program I developed,
that is designed to raise the pitch to tensions that are not in excess of
60% of the breaking strength. This was published in the PTJ Dec.1999. If
anyone wants a copy of the program, just ask.
6. I start at A0 and tune all the way to the top. The most likely strings to
break, (they are usually designed in the 45% to 60+% range), are the bass
strings.
7. If all is well, after getting to the plain wire, then I usually breath a
small sigh of relief and continue with the first PR.
I should say that I do not use an off-set for the first pass. Also, the
faster you do this the better it is.
    If you want the full explanation, get the article and read it carefully.
    There really is no valid reason, NOT to raise a piano to it's designed
pitch. For those who fear breakage of a plate, most plates are sooooo
over-engineered it's pathetic.
Best Regards,
Joe Garrett, RPT, (Oregon)