strip muting (I know, old subject)

[Larry Fisher]

Yo all,

Merry Xmas and all that junk.

RE: Strip muting

Over the years I think I've figgered out something that has eluded me for
quite some time.  When I tune, I strip mute the middle section of the piano
stretching from a few notes above C52 to the lowest tenor note if my strip
will reach.  After laying in my temperment, I work my way to the top of the
T-strip tuning only the middle string, then I go south to the bass, tuning
what strings are able to speak all the way to the bottom of the barrel.  I
then go to the top of my T-strip and proceed northward tuning every string
as I go all the way to the highest key.  At this point I usually check my
middle section to see if it's slipped and touch up the outer areas as
needed.  I then pull the strip one note at a time and tune the strings as
they are released from their temporary silence.  Now I play the piano
expecting this virtuous, satisfying, gratifying, luscious, I gotta die for,
sound of a freshly tuned piano.  AND ....this is where I have thrown many a
tuning lever through windows (with great satisfaction I might add) because
at the completion of this act, I now have a piano that is totally out of
tune!!!  Why do I subject myself to this torture??  Additionally I ask
myself why this happens??  I beat the hell out of pianos when I tune.  I
have traumatized finger tips to prove it.  I have dealers tell me I'm
noisey.  What, you mean the tuners before me have a limp wristed technique??
I have people approach me in hotels, restaurants, grocery stores, lounges,
bars, etc. asking me to come back later (like I really want to come back to
such a prissy little place anyway!!!) because they're having a meeting three
blocks away (ok I lied there) and my tuning activity is irritating them.  TS
baby I'm making a livin' here Dude!!  BUZZ OFF!!  OK I drifted off subject
here.  .......  Hmmm where was I .......  oh yeah.  Hey, maybe the bridge is
rolling a bit.  There's a lot of tension change, a lot of pulling (totally)
on the structure ......  possibly??  So, I now tune a bit different.  If the
piano is quite a bit off, but not enough to warrant a pitch raise, I strip
mute the usual area, do the tempermental thing, THEN pull the strip tuning
as I go, leaving the remaining areas of the piano for later.  This puts all
the strings in the temperment strip area much closer to where they're
supposed to be.  I then strip that section all over and start fresh using
the above mentioned process.  This holds the bridge, and anything else
involved, quite nicely and reduces the amount of movement that would affect
tuning later.  This process, I feel, also reduces the total amount of time
spent touching up near the end of my tuning.  The tuning is more stable, the
customer is more happy, and I'm a more gooder tooner because of it.  I also
don't have to replace as many windows and tuning levers.

Speaking of windows, I just upgraded from Windows 3.11 (WFW) to Win95.
DON'T GET THE UPGRADE!!  You know, the cheap one that says it's made for
upgrading previous versions of Windows to Win95.  It worked good for a few
weeks and then started to corrupt files.  Luckily it didn't touch any of my
database files.  It wasted my \windows directory and I had to [delete
\windows\*.*] and reinstall all my software.  I had Win95 installed by a
local computer shop along with replacing my MUTHA board and added memory.
It now works most goodestly.    SSSSSSSSlick tooo.

Lar

                                    Larry Fisher RPT
   specialist in players, retrofits, and other complicated stuff
      phone 360-256-2999 or email larryf@pacifier.com
         http://www.pacifier.com/~larryf/ (revised 10/96)
           Beau Dahnker pianos work best under water