<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML style="FONT-SIZE: x-small; FONT-FAMILY: MS Sans Serif"><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2627" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#d8d0c8> <DIV><FONT face="Verdana Ref">I'd like to know more about how to = diagnose bridge pin problems.  Ed, this is the answer I tried to get on the = Pianotech list with my question about seating strings, because I heard so many = different things in the process... thanks!</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Verdana Ref"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Verdana Ref">I've been graphing the starting pitch of = pianos ever since I began tuning for money, usually just sampling every = A.  It helps me communicate to the customer what work needs to be done, and = records whether the piano is stable or not.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Verdana Ref"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Verdana Ref">Well, I've finally uncovered a problem = by doing this!  I've now tuned the same C3 three times in this current = concert series, and the second and third time the piano's been within a few = cents of where I left it, except for a 10-cent dip between A5 and = A6.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Verdana Ref"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Verdana Ref">Checking it out closely today, I could = see no damage to the soundboard, ribs, or bridge in that area (which I = suspected because the problem occurred over a range of notes).  As I = fine-tuned, I noticed that the problem was discontinuous, though: not every string was = off by that much.  Listening to just a single string, I heard false beats, = and so tried pushing down on the string just in front of the speaking-side = pin.  Naturally, it went sharp!  :-)  I pushed backwards on the top = of the same bridge pin, and the note cleaned right up.  The strings were = going flat because of loose bridge pins!</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Verdana Ref"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Verdana Ref">So, what other tricks are there to = diagnose bridge problems?  I've heard of using vice grips (handy when the problem = is in the low tenor on a "D"!).  Which direction should you apply pressure on = the pin?  Aft?  Down?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Verdana Ref"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Verdana Ref">--Cy Shuster--</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Verdana Ref">Bluefield, WV</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=ed440@mindspring.com = href="mailto:ed440@mindspring.com">Ed Sutton</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=caut@ptg.org href="mailto:caut@ptg.org">College and University Technicians</A> = </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, April 17, 2005 = 5:05 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [CAUT] CA for = loose pins on a "D"?</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>To find out if it is a loose bridge pin, mute off carefully to a = single string and have someone play the note while you go to the tail of the = piano and press on the pin with a screwdriver tip.  If the pin is = loose, it should stop beating when you press the pin.<FONT size=2><FONT size=2></DIV></FONT></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>