pitch of old upright

[Farrell]

Why would there be more risk of an old upright plate breaking than any other piano plate while raising the pitch of a piano up to A440? Standard pitch breaking a soundboard? Yes, strings are more prone to breaking on an old piano (although no more so on an old upright than an old grand), but still, if there is not significant corrosion and a history of string replacement, 95%+ of the time an old upright (or any other normal piano) will go up to standard pitch without strings breaking.

IMHO, not discussing/encouraging permission to raise any piano to standard pitch is a disservice to your customers.

What if the piano is being played by a student? What if the owner plays the piano for choir practice? On many old pianos with failing (tubby) bass strings, the difference in tone between 50 cents flat and A440 can be quite dramatic.

Okay, enough beating up on Wim!   ;-)

Terry Farrell
  ----- Original Message ----- 

  On most old uprights. I don't take any chances of breaking strings, much less the soundboard or the plate, and just tune it where it's at. Unless this piano needs to be on pitch with other instruments, I don't see the need to pull it up, even if it's up to 50 cents flat. 


  Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT
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