A-440 and Ethics.

[Avery Todd]

Ron,

Thanks for saying this. You did it much better than I could have!

Avery

At 11:19 AM 11/11/04, you wrote:

>>              I do not like to raise the A4 pitch on any piano more than 
>> say 1/4 a tone or so, if it's been neglectd tunings. This is because I 
>> don't want to run the risk of cracking anyone's harp plate, let alone 
>> breaking strings. Especially on the little spinets, whose plates are 
>> 5/8" or less thick.
>
>Every piano that is strung or restrung goes from zero tension to full 
>tension at pitch with a couple of chipping passes. If it did it once 
>without breaking the plate, I see no reason that it won't do it again. 
>Strings aren't any less likely to break if they are pulled up in 
>increments over years than if they are pulled up in similar increments on 
>the same day. They don't heal up and get stronger by waiting and sneaking 
>up on them later. It just means that they have more money invested in it 
>if/when the strings do start breaking as it gets closer to pitch. Better 
>to get it over with in one appointment and know where you stand, in my 
>opinion. If string breakage is a concern, you just make multiple passes to 
>minimize overpull as you get it up to pitch, or you leave it below pitch 
>permanently and educate the customer as to what they have. Either way, you 
>need to inform the customer what you propose to do and why, and let them 
>make the decision and take the responsibility for it.
>
>Ron N
>
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