Strips or wedges

[Jim Coleman, Sr.]

Hi Wim:

If you remember, I mentioned in one sentence that all of that applied to
a fine tuning and not a pitch raise tuning. In fine tuning, we are not 
moving the pitch of the piano, and it really makes little difference where
we start and where we end. My personal feeling is that since the tenor 
section of the piano is the most sensitive and may change a very slight 
amount, I want the Bass to match it. So, I tune the Bass last so that it
will match the Tenor section if it has changed in the very slightest amount.

Now in pitch raising, the logic is a little different, but again the Bass
will always be more stable and will not require as much raising as the rest
of the piano. The only time we find the Bass flat to the Tenor section is
when the piano has been subjected to much higher humidity and the sensitive
Tenor section has gone sharp. Of course here, the problem is to lower the
Tenor section or if the whole piano is quite flat, then to raise the Tenor
section first.

Jim Coleman, Sr.

On Thu, 29 Oct 1998, Wim en Debby wrote:

> Hi Jim,
> I got a question for you.  I always tune the thirth octave first. Sometimes
> the fourth also to check . Then l always tune the Bass before l get further
> on with the treble. l was taught that the Bass has a bigger effect on the
> soundboard and therefore l must tune it first. lm interested to know why you
> "save the Bass for last".
> Best regards,
> 
> Wim Vermeyen
> Wim's Piano Service
> Ekeren, Belgium
> 
> -----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
> Van: Jim Coleman, Sr. <pianotoo@imap2.asu.edu>
> Aan: pianotech@ptg.org <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Datum: dinsdag 27 oktober 1998 4:29
> Onderwerp: Strips or wedges
> 
> 
> >Hi Bill:
> >
> >Thanks for sharing your views about strips and wedges. Since many people
> >have watched my videos on tuning, I thought I should jump in here on this
> >subject and tell what I really do now as opposed to what I used to do.
> >
> >I believe it is true that tuning with single wedges can give better
> >stability. However, there is a difference in how stability works in the
> >different sections of a piano. I always tune the Bass last because it
> >changes the least. My present practice is to strip mute the midrange of the
> >piano. I find that I can tune the unisons in that area by ear much faster
> >than in using the machine to tune each individual string. I can also hear
> >higher partials in the range and therefore get better accuracy. I find that
> I
> >can tune the upper treble better if I tune each string using the machine.
> >For this reason, I use only one or two wedges in the upper treble. With the
> >wedges, I can isolate each string and also listen to the overall effect of
> >the unisons when I am through. On Grands, I use two fat wedges. The
> >most stable way to tune the treble is to tune right string first (its
> length
> >from V-Bar to tuning pin is the longest and most stable), then tune the
> >middle string, and last tune the left string. If the total unison (all
> three
> >string sounding together) has slipped, I retune right then and there.
> >
> >On uprights, I use a wire handled rubber wedge sold by Pianotek. Sometimes
> >I use a split rubber wedge, tuning the right string first, move the split
> >wedge to cover boths sides, tune the center string, move the wedge between
> >the center and right strings while I tune the left string last. If the
> >unison sounds great, then I move to the next unison.
> >
> >Next, I tune out the unisons of the center section by ear, listening to the
> >highest partials I can hear clearly.
> >
> >Last, I tune out the Bass using a strip sometimes for speed. If the
> midrange
> >has drifted the least little bit, I tune the Bass to match and then tune
> out
> >the unisons afterward.
> >
> >All of the above is for fine tuning.
> >
> >If a pitch raise is necessary, I strip all the way to the top and bottom
> >more or less like in the video. Now, with the advent of the SAT III, I can
> >use the 33% overshoot for the Treble and 25% overshoot for the Bass. It
> >works real neat.
> >
> >Jim Coleman, Sr.
> >
> 
>