Bob Wilson's comments/Reply/my reply

Joseph Garrett joegarrett@earthlink.net
Thu, 10 Jan 2002 16:38:10 -0800


Bob,
Obviously you didn't read my post thoroughly. I said that I work on ENGLISH
pianos, 100+ years olde and the worst of the worst that England has to
offer. These instruments were "rejected" by English technicians and were
sold to American "Antique" dealers. Yes, most of the English uprights of
that period, unfortunately, were 3/4 plates, (Why England was soooo far
behind everyone else in the world, in this respect, is beyond me). These are
precisely the instruments that I "Specialize" in. (Most Technicians on this
side of the "Pond", think I'm nuts to do so. I do pitch raise those
instruments to their "DESIGNED PITCH", which was 435cps, (or as you put it
C517). I do this with little or no problem. By the way, 435cps is 20cents
flat of 440cps, NOT a 1/4 tone as you state. When these instruments are at
their DESIGNED PITCH, (ie the pitch that was used in the initial design of
the scale), they have less damper problems, less tuning stability problems
and sound a helluva lot better than you can imagine! This I have learned
over the last 28 years of working on them. So, I disagree with all that you
have said about Over-Damper pianos!
Respectfully,
Joe Garrett, RPT, (Oregon)



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