[pianotech] 179c Pitch Raise

[David Ilvedson]

 I've never had a piano that flat, but I wouldn't overshoot at all...

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA  94044

----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: "Terry Farrell" <mfarrel2 at tampabay.rr.com>
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Received: 8/19/2009 2:07:00 AM
Subject: Re: [pianotech] 179c Pitch Raise


>On a piano that is a couple hundred cents flat I would simply ETD tune  
>from A0 to C8 and overshoot A440 in the bass by maybe 10 cents, the  
>tenor 20 cents and the treble 30 cents or so (assuming the piano was  
>in pretty good shape - less overpull if any concerns). A second pass  
>would be a small pitch raise.

>What advantage does your approach of all A's, then A#'s, then B's,  
>etc. have? Or is it that you simply feel there is less chance of  
>breaking the plate?

>FWIW, I've used my method oodles of time on pianos that were two and  
>three hundred cents flat with no trouble. Sure is a lot easier to keep  
>track of where you are and where you have been.....

>Terry Farrell

>On Aug 18, 2009, at 11:27 PM, Norm Barrett wrote:

>> Let me throw out a method for pitch raising a piano that flat for  
>> consideration.
>> 1. Load your ETD with an average tuning and set the tuning offset   
>> +20 cents. Now tune all the A's to the pitch indicated by the machine.
>> 2. Lower the offset by 5 cents and tune all the A#'s
>> 3. Lower the offset by 5 cents and tune all the Bs.
>>
>> Continue in this manner until all the notes on the piano have been  
>> pulled up. This will be the most drastic tension change.
>>
>> Set the machine in pitch raise mode and run through the piano from  
>> A0 to C8.
>> The piano should now be close enough to proper tension to do a  
>> fairly good fine tuning. I have used this sequence successfully  for  
>> very flat pianos and it worked for me.
>>
>> Norm Barrett
>>
>>
>> Michael Magness wrote:
>>>
>>> Hi All,
>>> I came across an old, 1925, Gulbranson upright an ex-player with a  
>>> 3/4 plate that was extremly flat today. I tried to sample the a's  
>>> with my Cyber tuner but they wouldn't read so I kept trying  
>>> different notes, finally the C's worked and registered as A's.
>>> I used the pitch raise feature to raise the bass and lower tenor  
>>> then used my temperment strips to strip the piano all the way to  
>>> the top and tuned the center strings by ear using octaves then  
>>> tuned the unisons pulling the strips out one string at a time.
>>> I then re-set the Cyber tuner to the smart tune feature and re- 
>>> tuned the bass and tenor.
>>> As I was tuning A3 the Cybertuner showed the original pitch of that  
>>> note to have been -179c and others around it in that general range  
>>> 170's and 160's
>>> No strings broke although they were rusty looking, I finally found  
>>> a use for that Protek I've been hauling around, I used a q-tip and  
>>> put some Protek on the strings at the pressure bar and v-bar.
>>> I'm scheduled to go back next week to re-tune it and again a couple  
>>> of weeks after that.
>>> I've done full tone pitch raises but never one this bad!
>>> Mike
>>> -- 
>>> I intend to live forever. So far, so good.
>>> Steven Wright
>>>
>>>
>>> Michael Magness
>>> Magness Piano Service
>>> 608-786-4404
>>> www.IFixPianos.com <http://www.IFixPianos.com>
>>> email mike at ifixpianos.com <mailto:mike at ifixpianos.com>