wrestling an alligator

[Dave Nereson]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, March 22, 2003 6:57 AM
Subject: Re: wrestling an alligator


> The M is the little Baldwin (5' 1" or so). The R is the 5' 8". I tune a few of these pianos without too much trouble, but an L that I service has agraffes and a capo that the strings stick to. Also there is quite a bit of felt between the forward termination and the tuning pins, which seems to create a lot of friction. This L does the same thing - pull, pull, pull and nothing happens, pull a bit more and - BOING-CRACK - it jumps up 20 cents. I use Protec liberally on it every time I tune it - helps some. This piano often takes me two hours to tune - what a pain. The L, R, and M all have very similar plate configurations.
> 
> Terry Farrell
>   
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: <Piannaman@aol.com>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Saturday, March 22, 2003 2:34 AM
> Subject: wrestling an alligator
> 
> 
> > List,
> > 
> > Well, it wasn't really an alligator, but when I was done with the Baldwin 
> > M(5' 8" grand), circa 1965, I felt as if I'd been in a river with a large 
> > reptile.  ON the surface, it seemed like a nice piano, except the lady told 
> > me it hadn't been tuned in probably 20 years.  The husband later informed me 
> > that a "cowboy from Oklahoma" was the last guy that tuned it.  Probably told 
> > her that it would never tuning again.
> > 
> > Anyway, after a pitch raise(only 10% +/- flat in the middle, slightly more at 
> > the ends), I grappled with trying to get a decent tuning in it.  These pianos 
> > have no tuning pin bushings, and I guess that's what makes them want to 
> > spring right back to where you started from.  This particular instrument had 
> > pins that popped just as they were about to fall into place, and voila--10% 
> > flat or sharp again!  And it was whiny as a newborn baby.  Almost as whiny as 
> > me right now.
> > 
> > I can normally do a pitch raise and fine tuning in  1 1/2 hours or slightly 
> > less if the piano wasn't way off to start with.  I was battling this monster 
> > for 2 1/2 hours.  The lady kvetched a bit when I told her I was going to 
> > charge her for a pitch raise.  Of all da noive!
> > 
> > Question:  would regular tuning over the previous two decades have smoothed 
> > out the tuning pin rotation at all?  
> > 
> > Amazingly, the piano sounded pretty good when I was done.  I hate to admit 
> > this, but after that ordeal, I was happy to get to my next customer's Pearl 
> > River.
> > 
> > Dave Stahl
> > 
> _______________________________________________
> pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
> 

    I've heard of the pressure bar being too tight (too far down), causing excessive string friction, thus difficult tuning.  You can mark the position of the pressure bar screws' slots on the pressure bar with a felt marker, then let the tension down, and back off each pressure bar screw maybe a quarter or half-turn.  Don't wipe off your marks yet.  Then bring tension back up, pitch raise, and see how it tunes.  
    Are the symptoms the same across the whole long bridge, or is it worse in some areas than others?  
    --David Nereson, RPT, Denver