Tuning pins undersized, where can I find sockets for my lever ?

[PIANISSIMO PIANOFORTE S.L.]

Hello Philippe,

The "problem" might be that the pins in the piano are (appart from smaller
size) even a different shape from the ones we usually find in newer pianos
than yours. If the frame is woodden, then your piano is sure VERY old. The
pins might even be of oblong shape. (If you want to send a picture of the
inside of the piano, i'm sure i can tell you).

On the other hand, it might be difficult learning tuning, specially by
yourself in such an old piano, since is not going to hold the tuning long
enough, you are probably not going to be able to tune it to pitch (a440
fork), and i doubt the action is going to work well enough... but anyway,
i shouldn't assume anything until i see the piano :)

With regards to your tuning lever, it is a professional model, so its a
very good choice you've done there.

Regards,

Patrick


> Hello,
>
> I live in Brussels and I got a very old piano with a wooden frame, and I'd
> like to use it to learn tuning by myself, and why not becoming someday a
> professional tuner. (I'm quite tired of my previous job...) So... It seems
> that there is only one shop in brussels that could help me, but they are
> soooo helping, that each time I visit them I decide that it will be the
> last time. They never did anything else that trying to implicitly
> discourage me, and I have the feeling that they just want to protect their
> position of monopoly on Brussels. So I'm trying to find every information
> I can on the net and in books.
>
> Since they were soooo cooperative, I've bought on the net, a tuning kit
> including a "Hale Pro Extension Tuning Hammer" (it seems to be more a
> tuning lever than a tuning hammer but... ok. Here are pictures of the
> stuff : http://home.flash.net/~schteev/prokit8.jpg
> http://home.flash.net/~schteev/ext1.jpg
>
> This material was presented as being THE professional reference for
> tuners, and it seemed true, since it matches quite closely with the
> drawing in the book from Arthur A. Reblitz; including the name "Hale" on
> it...
>
> I bought it with two aditionnal sockets, and none of them match with my
> piano. The pins on my piano are only 1/4" on the cylindric part, and 4.5mm
> at the top. even the smallest tip (#1) is floating nearly freely around
> it. The seller has no idea on how to help me solve my problem. Do you have
> any idea where / how I could find a socket small enough for my piano ?
>
> thank you,
>
> Philippe Errembault


Patrick Hinves Ballesta
Afinador/Técnico 610442371
PIANISSIMO PIANOFORTE S.L.