Pitch Raise

[David Ilvedson]

The clicking, if it is more of a bang, is probably over tight tuning pins...not uncommon on Baldwin grands...gets better when the pitch is closer...

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA  94044

----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: "John Formsma" <formsma at gmail.com>
To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org>
Received: 8/15/2008 8:42:03 PM
Subject: Re: Pitch Raise


>Yes, it gets easier.  You didn't ride a bike well when you first learned,
>but it got easier, right? <G>

>I never break strings.  They break when they are ready.  But, if you'll
>slightly lower the tension before you raise it, you might avoid the kind of
>breakages that is due to rust adhesion (to the plate/pins). I generally bump
>the pin down a bit just to hear it move very slightly.  Then raise as I
>would on a piano with no visible rust.

>You could raise the entire 50 cents in one pass. I personally wouldn't
>anticipate a stable fine tuning after just one pitch raise pass.  What I'm
>doing with a pitch raise greater than 30 cents is two quick pitch raises,
>with a followup fine tuning in 3-4 weeks.  (Unless of course the piano is
>needed for some kind of function before then.)

>The clicking may have come from the agraffes.

>What you can learn from "this frightening experience" is all the stuff that
>most of us have already learned from the experience of doing what you are
>now doing.  How's that for encouragement? <G>

>It's all incremental.  Some here on the list have bigger increments, but
>it's still bit by bit until you get it.

>--
>JF


>On Fri, Aug 15, 2008 at 10:17 PM, Matthew Todd 
><toddpianoworks at att.net>wrote:

>>
>> I pitch raised a Baldwin Grand today.  This was my first one of this
>> caliber.  It was 47 to 50 cents flat, with lots of the ole' rust.  There
>> were a lot of clicking pins as I raised pitch, I guess due to the rust, I'm
>> not sure.
>>
>> I did two pitch raises actually.  In my first pass, I raised to about 15
>> cents flat.  My second pass, I did to about 25 - 30 cents sharp.  I don't
>> know if I was chicken, but I had a BIG cringe factor goin' on while I did
>> this.
>>
>> As I get more experience, will I just go for the whole thing the first
>> time?  What can I learn from this frightening time in my career?
>>
>> I did not break a single string.  But get this, I broke B7/C8 while I was
>> strip muting.  Has this happened to anyone?
>>
>> All in all, I gained a big experience today.
>>
>> I'm a pansy, I know.  Does it get any easier??
>>
>>