[pianotech] tips, tuning pin ends

[PianoCare2]

Different tuning pins.. Different tips. different ideas.. It's all part of
our work. and depending how fussy you are.

David, I found that the techs at Kawai were using Itoshin tuning levers and
tips.(2001). Yes, they fit the Kawai pianos beautifully. The older tuning
levers and tips with Kawai engraved on them are supposed to be Itoshin also.
The techs at Kawai advised me the "we would prefer you go to Itoshin, not
Watanabe", with a look to say don't ask questions.

We all prefer one tip over another. that's life. I guess that it has to do
with the origin of the tuning pins. I would assume that American pins are
slightly different than Japanese ones. My Jahn tips fit best on German pins,
but it is only my opinion.

I was taught to try a tip on a pin and the lower the tip is to the pin, the
better. I then wriggle the tip clockwise and anti clockwise by hand. less is
better. After fitting the tip to the lever, I want as little slop as
possible. Don't know how correct this is, but that is what is ingrained in
me...

Brian Wilson

 

  _____  

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Ryan Sowers
Sent: Thursday, 26 March 2009 1:13 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] tips, tuning pin ends

 

Excellent observation, David.

Now that we have a plethora of fine, expensive, tuning levers to choose
from, I'd like to see some custom made tips! It's Ironic that we spend all
this money on the wrench but still have to put the same old tips on it - and
the tip has a huge impact on the feel of the lever! It reminds me of the old
saying: Measure with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with a
chainsaw! 

We might be better off with a cheap lever and about 10 different head/tip
combinations to get the best fit on the pin. 

On Wed, Mar 25, 2009 at 7:06 PM, David Nereson <da88ve at gmail.com> wrote:

 

    I would imagine the ends of tuning pins vary as much as the tips made to
fit them.  Jim Harvey used to claim that Kawai made the most accurate tip
for tuning levers, but that was when he was a tech rep for Kawai.  And maybe
they did fit very well -- Kawai pins, that is.  How many manufacturers of
tuning pins have there been?  Seriously -- does anybody know?  When it comes
to cast-iron plates, there haven't been that many -- Kelly and Wickham come
to mind, and then the companies that cast their own.  But tuning pins?  Were
there many or just a couple?  Even if they're now defunct, we most likely
still run into their pins in pianos.  How many manufacturers are there now?
Surely at least a few in Japan, Korea, China, and at least one or two (or
five?) in Europe.  What about here in the U.S.?  I imagine Steinway makes
their own -- or do they.  It just seems that the shape of the tuning end of
all those thousands of pins wouldn't be that consistent.  Or is it?  How
accurate is the machining (or stamping?) of those tuning pin tips?  I'll bet
a tip that seems to have no rock in one piano would be wobbly in another,
which would foul up the judging of these super-still tuning lever head/tip
assemblies.

    --David Nereson, RPT  




-- 
Ryan Sowers, RPT
Puget Sound Chapter
Olympia, WA
www.pianova.net

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