Left Handed tuning/pitch raises

[David Lawson]

Interesting subject this one. Some of you may have heard of the Beale piano manufactured here in Australia some 1900 to 1975. These instruments had a patented tuning system which comprised a tuning pin which went through the steel frame, and was locked in tight by a lock screw, which was threaded into the plate.  
The factory was in Sydney, and they employed mostly blind tuners. All of these blokes were taught to tune left handed, as there was less propensity to break the pins. The weak part of this system was hole in the pin to hold the string. They seemed to think that tuning left handed was a safer method, and helped set the pin without bending it. These pianos are still about, and we have to tune them from time to time. Their main problem now is that due to atmospheric conditions, the pins and the locking screw corrode and break off. However this was a very good system in its time and the pianos stayed in tune much longer than the wood wrest plank pianos of today.
David Lawson Wangaratta Australia
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Leslie Bartlett 
  To: 'Pianotech List' 
  Sent: Friday, November 30, 2007 1:25 PM
  Subject: RE: Left Handed tuning/pitch raises


  The person who taught me that "let hand tuning for everything was the right way" was right handed.  I now tune uprights left handed and right hand on grands.........
  les bartlett



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Shawn Brock
  Sent: Wednesday, December 06, 2006 8:20 PM
  To: Pianotech List
  Subject: Re: Left Handed tuning/pitch raises


  Michelle:
  while learning to tune I had a desire to be able to tune left handed as well as right.  I am right handed but thought that using both hands could help save my shoulder in the future.  My mentor was against my thoughts of tuning left handed.  His explanation was that just like you stated "its easier to pull up than to push up".  I have found this to be vary true.  I have no control or less control any how if I try to push the hammer up rather than pull.  Oh, and by the way the person who talked me in to tuning only with the right hand is a lefty.  
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Michelle Smith 
    To: 'Pianotech List' 
    Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2007 4:37 PM
    Subject: Left Handed tuning/pitch raises


    I have a question I've been wondering about for some time and I'm going to try to explain it correctly.

     

    I tune uprights left handed.  A while back, I had some nerve damage to my hand doing an especially tough pitch raise and started doing pitch raises right handed and fine tunings with my left.  I discovered that pitch raises are easier to do right-handed (for me).  It's easier to pull than to push and it seems that I land closer to the pitch.  It always seemed like I had to go too far sharp to land the pitch correctly when I was doing pitch raises left handed.  

     

    Just wondering if any other lefties have had similar experiences.  

     

    Michelle Smith

    Smith Piano Service

    Bastrop, Texas

     

     



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