etd tunings

[David Ilvedson]

That must have been one of my piano/customer...;-]

David I.

On 5 Jun 2002 at 19:12, PNHISTIC1@AOL.COM wrote:

> 
> In a message dated 6/5/02 1:31:39 PM, mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com writes:
> 
> << FWIW, I tuned a Baldwin Acrosonic today for a new client. First
> time I have seen the piano. It's one of those 40" or so spinets. She
> says she knows for a fact that it had been at least 12 years since the
> last tuning - because the last time was when she was in CA. Sounded
> pretty convicing that she was sure of the timing. When I talked to her
> on the phone, I told her that she could expect to also pay for a pitch
> raise.
> 
> 
> Darned if that thing wasn't just about right on the button on each
> note. 95% of the notes were easily within 2 cents of target
> (Verituner). There were only a half-dozen or so that were perhaps 4
> cents off. Only the bottom octave was a bit flat - up to 10 or 15
> cents.
> 
> 
> Amazing.
> 
> 
> Terry Farrell
> 
>    >>
> 
> On the other side of the coin, I tuned a brand new(I unpacked it,
> too...), Chinese built Samick 42" piano about a month ago.  This past
> week, I went into the same store to do a couple of floor tunings.  The
> manager led me over to a piano, a 42" Samick.  "Does this sound tuned
> to you?" he asked.  He played a few chords, then some octaves. 
> Sounded pretty bad, most of the mid-range was at least 10 cents flat,
> the treble flatter, the bass not quite so bad.  He opened the lid,
> pointed at the orange sticker(hey, they asked me to do it!) with my
> initials and the date on it, and said "you tuned it about a month
> ago."  Dirty trick!  Embarassing, nonetheless.  I pointed out that, in
> my realm of experience, these pianos are extremely unstable and that
> they need to be pitch-raised/dropped then fine tuned as soon as they
> are unpacked and put on the floor.
> 
> Given the stability of the tunings I put on a Charles Walter grand and
> many other pianos in the same store, I have to say that it is a matter
> of climatizing: from being Asian-built and coming to the US, as well
> as from the change of seasons in CA from wet and cool when I first
> tuned it, to warm and dry when I checked the piano.  Like Terry, I've
> tuned many older American pianos that have been remarkably close to
> pitch after a 10 year tuning hiatus.  Just proves that newer isn't
> better.  
> 
> Dave Stahl