old Broadwoods

[a.acker at comcast.net]

O.K.   Now I really do need to step in before too much conjecturing and misinformation continue to breed:

Using a terminology with which you are unfamiliar does not necessarily condemn either people or a piano.   It is critical to recognize that pitch levels varied throughout history, and even varied from country to country during the same time period.   Heavens, pitch levels varied from town to town if you go back far enough.

So, "military pitch" simply means not A440, and probably A415 or A430, most likely the latter, which WAS the pitch standard in many countries for many years.

As a tuner of an antique instrument, your job is not to pull the instrument to A440 unless that is appropriate.  Your job is to ascertain what is the correct pitch for that individual instrument, and tune it to that.   I was witness to the absolute destruction of a piano signed by Paderewski because the college tuner kept pulling it up to A440, over and over again.   French pitch was significantly lower up until the 20th century.    The pinblock looked like the grand canyon.   Is it any wonder French pianos have undeservedly received a bad reputation for poor pinblocks?    Modern techs keep trying to get them to hold A440.

It is important for the owner to determine the pitch level established by the restorer before tuning it.

Now, the fact that a Broadwood expert may have been required to redo a piano is NORMAL, as 99% of piano technicians and restorers are only familiar with modern piano actions or close cousins, which would mean they did not know what to do with a Broadwood action.   I get a lot of business undoing the work of prior restorers.

So, please, judge not ........

I would suggest finding out what the pitch level should be, and tuning the piano.

Where is this piano?  What year is it?  Early Broadwoods are fantastic when done properly.

Anne









From:	KeyKat88 at aol.com  [ Save Address ] 
Reply-to:	Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org>
To:	pianotech at ptg.org
Subject:	Miltary pitch and other "Broadwood" expert
Date:	Sun, 1 Oct 2006 16:10:33 EDT
Greetings,
 
     I think the lady was sold a "bull of goods" by her rebuilder or whatever he was. I think military pitch was part of that bull, sort of implying that this tuning wont go out of tune so fast,  as if it was a "heavy duty", official or "industrial strength" tuning or something. Then again,  perhaps Glenn Miller had a preferred temperament put on his orchestra's piano and so it was nicknamned military pitch.. sort of like a local thing. .That would be the only logical guess I can come up with about "military pitch".
 
     I think Diane is right. I think this customer may make trouble, especially if she's been taken by the "Broadwood expert";  very good advice and red flag stuff.
 
Julia
Reading. PA