Michael, so the first tuning on a seriously flat piano is a rough single tuning to near 440, but then you come back a few weeks later and fine tune it? On Fri, Oct 1, 2010 at 2:06 PM, Michael Magness <ifixpiano at gmail.com> wrote: > > > On Thu, Sep 30, 2010 at 5:19 PM, William Monroe <bill at a440piano.net>wrote: > >> Michael, >> >> Though some posters tend to word things rather strongly (as have you), I'd >> suggest taking it in stride. Most of us have a hard time at one point or >> another when our belief systems are questioned. >> >> You wrote: "I would gladly consider changing methods if Tom can explain >> what has radically changed about piano tensions, soundboards, bridges, >> strings & the climate affecting them over the last 41 years that would cause >> me to." >> >> It's not the piano that has changed it's our understanding of and >> application of the physics of pianos. The world used to be flat too. It >> didn't change, our understanding did. Those who were entrenched in their >> belief system accepted it much less rapidly than others. >> >> You wrote, "...premise about the drop being because of back scale tension >> I find highly unlikely as I pound my tunings in, again an old habit I was >> taught was best & that has served me well." >> >> Again, you seem to have a belief system that suggests that pounding in a >> tuning stabilizes back scale tensions adequately. Ron (and others) believe >> this to be a false premise. Simply believing that what you've done for your >> entire career doesn't make it true. >> >> You wrote, "As for my comments about Protek, IMHO I got along without it >> for the first 30 years of my career & after I purchased some I did not find >> it to be the panacea that many others have. " >> >> No one is suggesting that Protek is a panacea. They (and I) firmly >> believe it reduces friction at the capo and agraffes - I also use it on the >> Steinway Ski Slope when it seems justified. It does reduce friction, simple >> as that, and a reduction in friction of bearing points cannot do anything >> but reduce the incidence of broken strings. No panacea, just judicious >> application of modern materials. >> >> You wrote, "Obviously I'm totally wrong about strings stretching, that >> would explain why none of us EVER has to return to touchup those new >> strings. It also explains why we don't have to tune new or newly restrung >> pianos any more often than old pianos. >> I know there is the bending of/settling of the wire around the bridge >> pins, agraffes, etc. sometimes for a year ot more but no stretching." >> >> I'm not sure if you are still being sarcastic or if you indeed are >> recognizing that strings do undergo an initial stretch as they are brought >> to a specified tension, but that continued stretching (creep) does not >> happen in any measurable way without a corresponding increase in tension. >> We do return to touch up the new string because of wire bending, (probably >> primarily) and who knows what other forces/movements, but not string creep. >> >> Having said all this, I think many of us would do well to recognize that >> when our belief systems (some long established) are being challenged, that >> is a good thing. That is how learning and professional growth happen. It >> doesn't mean we haven't been (or aren't continuing to do) great work. I >> think most of us on this list are. But we certainly need to be open to new >> thought, lest we stagnate into a puddle. ;-] >> >> William R. Monroe >> > > > William, > > I thank you for your good, reasoned words, I do believe there is truth in > what others have said & my credo has always been that I have more to learn > that if I stop learning I should find something else to do. > I also believe however a 1/2 tone flat piano goes out of tune after the > initial pitch raise, regardless of the number of passes & returning it to > pitch & fine tuning in one sitting is not possible, except for a short term > > My point was that I spend time with my customers, I educate my customers, I > don't leave them with the impression that they can ignore tuning their piano > for 10 years or more & it can be rectified in an hour & 1/2. > > One of the techs in our chapter has done pitch raises on pianos in his shop > & they don't drop in pitch over a month or so, he questioned the necessity > of re-tuning, upon questioning it was revealed the pianos in question > weren't played. > > The point is there are different situations we are discussing here, when I > do the initial pitch raise, I encourage the customers to play the piano as > much as possible. I've found I get a better finish tune when I return. > > I will consider what I have learned here, as I would expect others to > consider what I have to offer. > > Mike > I think we are a product of all our experiences. > Sanford I. Weill<http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/s/sanfordiw283095.html> > > > Michael Magness > Magness Piano Service > 608-786-4404 > www.IFixPianos.com <http://www.ifixpianos.com/> > email mike at ifixpianos.com > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech.php/attachments/20101001/935394bb/attachment.htm>
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