Short Tips, Long Post

[harvey]

I have yet to read Jack's article. I will listen to all (and continuing
<sigh>)
discussions about tips, angles, and bending pins. I will not get into the
verbal contest about it, mainly because in a battle of geometry and vectors,
I'd lose!  I think Tom is on the right track with the "control" word.

I feel that we'd be better off if it were possible to turn tuning pins with
our
fingertips. We'd have tactile feedback, be right over the pin, and would
certainly be at the right (correct) angle.

Failing this ability, I too use the J.C. Coleman Jr. (is that enough dots?)
20-degree head exclusively, coupled to a #3 extra short tip. This combination
helps get over the struts of the MasonNabees, BoseyBaldwins, etc. I'll also
mention that this head replaced my 15-degree head, and that it took some
adjusting to acclimate to the additional 5-degrees. The point is that one gets
used to working with what they have and/or what they prefer, all the while
keeping the ultimate goal in mind. Has anyone else ever borrowed a colleague's
tuning lever, even for a couple of notes, and felt awkward or clumsy in using
it?

As many of my fellow "pinbenders" know, if I'm going to carry extra bulk and
weight of additional stuff in the tool kit, it had better pay off, and not
just
go along for the ride. The exception to my 20-degree setup is a tuning tip
adaptor with a #2 thin-walled tip, sometimes secured with a piece of masking
tape. This is for pins that are too close to this or that, and for uprights
with a long topboard overhang. I don't use the kludge often, because, as Carl
Root mentioned, I'm ambidextrous (except for writing).

I agree with JimRPT that it's technique that counts. I am against bending pins
for the sake of bending pins, i.e, intentionally. I don't think my technique
"lends" itself to bending pins.  All that said, I decided long ago that if I
was not going to be a 'super-tuner' (technically accurate), I was
determined to
become a stable tuner. Based on my records, I think I've arrived at that goal.

For example, my orders for a Marcus Roberts concert were for a 'PPI' (Pre/Post
sound check and Intermission). This is three tunings (well, kinda) on the same
day. Marcus is apparently skilled at causing tunings to go astray. If he'd use
some other notes occasionally, it would help, but that's another story. My
initial tuning would have been sufficient, although I enjoyed the extra
income.
Three days later, that same tuning was still solid. Three weeks later, it was
still suitable for 'intense' purposes. Did I bend any pins? Don't think so. I
think they'd still roll straight if tested -- if they ever would in the first
place.


At 12:07 AM 8/4/98 -0700, you wrote:
>(For the record, my personal preference is to use a long tip and a
>Coleman 20° head for all grand piano tunings, regular tip and 15° head
>for uprights, short tip when necessary for players. I like the looks of
>the regular tip with stainless steel head, made by Keith Bowman, but I
>prefer the clearance the grand piano rig gives me and I've learned to
>control the pin-bending consequences.)




Jim Harvey, RPT
harvey@greenwood.net
________________________
Tuning is a means to an end
              -- Harvey (date unknown)