[pianotech] Reducing tuning time (was Re: frustrated)

[tunerboy3 at comcast.net]

If you get the red felt from Schaff it can be to thick.  Used to be you could specify medium, medium thick.. I usually got medium.  Then upon Bill Bremmers recommendation, I started purchasing action rail cloth.  I love it!!  It's just about the same size thickness wise but, skinner than the red muting felt.  

Am I calling it by the right name guys?  You that use it know what I'm talking about but I'm not positive that I'm using the correct terminology for it cause it's been a while and it.  The stuff seems to last forever.  

You order it like one solid piece, something like 72" or 84" long or so, and cut to desired length or, don't cut it at all.  I ordered 6 or 10 of them so I could experiment with it.  I wound up cutting one of them down the center all the way and using that one in the treble.  I also use it to shim things.  I often use that one in the tenor too because the hammers or dampers won't get in the way then.  It works good.  :)  

I use the full sized ones on grands and quite often because of the spacing, I use the red felt on verticals.  It really just depends on the piano and how much room there is between the strings or between the hammers and dampers.  I don't now why but string spacing tends to be a little greater in the tenor on verticals than in the treble.  

I have also tapered by trimming, the felt down in the very upper tenor about the last 8 notes or so, section so it wouldn't interfere with the dampers.  That way you can shove the felt up higher and out of the way or, lower out of the way.  I've put them under the dampers before too but you'll have to be careful doing this.  You'll want to push the sustain pedal down and if there isn't enough room for the felt to slide easily behind the dampers, lift them two or three at a time and slide the felt behind them.  I rarely have to do this and in fact, prefer not to due to too much ringing coming through in that area.  

Jerry Groot RPT
www.grootpiano.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Duaine Hechler
To: pianotech
Sent: 2013-01-12 02:58:26 +0000
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Reducing tuning time (was Re:  frustrated)

Thanks, this is all great advice.

Now - what are the tricks to strip mute ?

When I first started, I tried to strip mute and could never get enough space in the loops and the felt seemed too thick.

Also, since most of mine are uprights, it seems the traditional strip mute is too wide for the upper notes (either the 
dampers are in the way or the hammers are blocks)

There must be a special technique for getting the right size loop - and - getting the right size mute felt so the above 
does not happen.

Would thick key bushing cloth work ? (I have a whole roll of that - used in various places for player work)

Duaine

On 01/11/2013 04:04 PM, Duaine Hechler wrote:
> I've been tuning, with an ETD, now for about 13 years and I can't seem to get much faster than about 2 hrs.
>> First, 99% of my tunings are pitch raises - one pass - with a very wide range of cents - usually way flat.
>> Hear is the basics I do.
>> - Start from A0 and go up.
> - Leap frog mutes - (M=mute, TM = tune middle, TL = tune left, TR = tune right, S = String group)
>>   (I think this is accurate ? - I had to draw the strings and place and move mutes on paper)
>>   M1 - TM1 - M2 | M2 - S2 - M1 | TL1 | TM2 | M1 - S3 - M2 | TR1 | TL2 | TM3 | M2 - S4 - M1 | TR2 | TL3 | TM4 
> ..............
>>   So I think I'm already moving mutes as little as possible.
>> - Pull strings slightly sharp of pitch then back down to pitch (seems better for stability)
> - Check for stability
>> I know that going sharp and coming back down -  takes time.
>> Any pointers to get faster ? On the upper treble, is it better (hearing wise) to pull up to pitch or go down to pitch ?
>> On 01/11/2013 12:22 PM, tunerboy3 at comcast.net wrote:
>> I wouldn't waste that much time on any piano. 4 or 5 hours on just the tuning? No way.
>>>> I will normally spend about one hour to tune a piano. 2 hours if it's a concert tuning.
>>>> I would try to figure out what the problem is.
>>>> Jerry Groot RPT
>> www.grootpiano.com
>


-- 
Duaine Hechler
Piano, Player Piano, Pump Organ - Tuning, Servicing & Rebuilding
(314) 838-5587 / dahechler at att.net / www.hechlerpianoandorgan.com
Home & Business user of Linux - 12 years