Bob brings up a good question - "why this piano is so low in pitch". I've only run across one piano five half-steps flat - and that was an 1870s American upright that was known to not have been tuned for a good 100 years. Makes sense to me that it would take about that long for a structurally sound piano to go that flat. If you look at this piano from the side, any chance the plate looks like a sideways "U"? Terry Farrell ----- Original Message ----- From: bobdavis88 at aol.com To: pianotech at ptg.org Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2009 6:52 PM Subject: Re: [pianotech] Collard & Collard revisited Duaine, Any piano service requires a partnership between the technician and the owner, but that is especially true on a piano which is in any way risky. That includes especially older instruments which haven't been serviced in a long time, or which have a unique design, or which have a weaker structure or frame. This piano qualifies in spades. I would not work on this piano at all unless I had had an extensive (paid) conversation with the client about the many (annoying/expensive/catastrophic) risks, and unless I had a good feeling the client understood and accepted those risks (usually IN WRITING). I would worry specifically about why this piano is so low in pitch. Is it already buckling? If you don't have a lot of experience with this type of piano, I can tell you it's a good place to get yourself into a position where you'll look back wistfully to the time before you ever saw it. There's nothing wrong with working on pre-modern pianos, but they take a different skill set, and a different mind set. Good luck, Bob Davis -----Original Message----- From: Duaine & Laura Hechler <dahechler at charter.net> To: pianotech at ptg.org Sent: Wed, 7 Jan 2009 3:38 pm Subject: [pianotech] Collard & Collard revisited Today, I just finished the repair and alignment of the overdampers. The hard part - the tuning. First, I'm having trouble getting the right tip for the pins. - Standard #2 tip is too big - Standard #1 tip is a little too small - Standard square tip is a little too small - Schaff's oblong tip is a little too big - That leaves a rectangular tip with square corners about the size of a "1-1/2" tip. Where to find such a tip ? Second, after a long while, I figured that the piano was - extremely - flat - about 5-6 notes flat. In trying to bring it up to pitch, two bass string sent snap. So I'm assuming, to allow for string stretchage, I need at least two passes. Seeking advice on this kind of pitch raise. Thanks, Duaine -- Duaine Hechler Piano, Player Piano, Pump Organ Tuning, Servicing & Rebuilding Reed Organ Society Member Florissant, MO 63034 (314) 838-5587 dahechler at charter.net www.hechlerpianoandorgan.com -- Home & Business user of Linux - 10 years ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Get a free MP3 every day with the Spinner.com toolbar. Get It Now. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech_ptg.org/attachments/20090109/9450c7a2/attachment.html>
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