Thanks for Time to level pins, dress coils...?

[Diane Hofstetter]

   Many thanks to all who sent me advice regarding leveling the pins and 
dressing the coils!  The concensus was that it would take about 6 hours, it 
took a total of 7 to get them straightened out, followed by two tunings.  
Tomorrow I will go back and check the tuning, doing another if necessary.

   Diane

>From: "Ward & Probst" <wardprobst@cst.net>
>Reply-To: pianotech@ptg.org
>To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
>Subject: RE: Time to level pins, dress coils...?
>Date: Tue, 7 Dec 1999 17:02:45 -0600
>
>Newton,
>Not a flame, just an observation. I have had three pianos in the last 18
>months that I have dressed the coils and leveled the pins. All were victims
>of poor stringing jobs- Steinway O, Yamaha G2, Starr 5' Grand.  All three
>were unstable prior to the work and have held well since. I averaged about 
>a
>day on each- tuning included with some regulation, voicing etc. thrown in.
>Couple of tips- a blunt screwdriver blade can be used in tight spaces as a
>string lifter and return the tuning lever to approximately the same 
>position
>it was in before you let the tension down. It will not be at pitch but will
>be close. I start at A0 and work to C8, get those big strings out of the 
>way
>while fresh. I also wear weightlifters gloves to relieve a little stress on
>the hands. Hope this helps.
>By the way, we will have stringing classes in Arlington: one by Greg Hulme
>and Kent Webb will teach on restringing Baldwin pianos with AccuJust hitch
>pins. Also, hands on stringing skills classes.
>
>Couldn't help myself,
>Dale
>
>Dale Probst
>Institute Director
>PTG Annual Convention
>Arlington, VA--July 5-9,2000
>wardprobst@cst.net
>(940)691-3682 voice
>(940) 691-6843 fax
>
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: owner-pianotech@ptg.org [mailto:owner-pianotech@ptg.org]On Behalf
>Of Newton Hunt
>Sent: Tuesday, December 07, 1999 10:28 AM
>To: pianotech@ptg.org
>Subject: Re: Time to level pins, dress coils...?
>
>
>Dear Diane,
>
>You raise a valuable question so I am going to start a flame worthy
>thread with it.  Please do not take this too personally, I intend no
>denigration of you.  (Original quote is below.)
>
>The question arises, did you do this to satisfy your desire for a
>pretty and sightly arrangement of the pins and coils or did you do it
>for the immediate benefit of the piano and the customer.
>
>Yes nice coils are nice but the piano had stood in a semblance of tune
>for 25 years so the question becomes will the piano stay substantially
>longer in tune after the work as it would have before the work?
>
>Doing work for our professional esthetic is great when we are doing an
>original stringing (in this example) where the time investment is
>small relative to the whole job.  Doing pin and coil work on a new
>piano does have a customer benefit, appearance AND tuning stability
>because the strings are new, the pins are new so there is no corrosion
>to help keep them in place.
>
>With an older piano the benefit may well be moot.
>
>Doing work just to satisfy your personal reasons does not necessarily
>benefit the customer and charging full price for it may well be doing
>the customer a disservice.
>
>Where does the line reside?  _I_ cannot say because I do not know.
>But somewhere between our desire to do perfect work, our wallet, and
>the benefit to the piano and customer based upon the overall condition
>of the instrument, the uses of the piano, the capabilities of the
>players, the value of the instrument, our reputation and the
>durability of the piano.  These and other factors need to be
>considered before even SUGGESTING the choices of benefits of the work
>to the customer.  Convincing a customer is sales hype.  Providing a
>range of choices, the advantages and disadvantages of each allows the
>customer the opportunity to choose what or what not to do.
>
>Charge her for half your time investment.
>
>Forgive me Diane.
>
>		Newton  (Flame suit is on.)
>
>Diane Hofstetter wrote:
> >
> > Dear list;
> >
> >   Was called to tune a 1973 Story & Clark grand just before Thanksgiving
>for
> > a party.  Found the tuning pins at all different heights and the coils
>were
> > a mess.  Customer insisted parents bought the piano new in 1973 and it 
>had
> > never been restrung, so I guess it came from the factory that way? The
>piano
> > was grossly flat and it turned out the party wasn't until Dec. 11 so I
> > talked them into having me straighten the coils and level the pins.  I
> > couldn't figure out what to charge them, but since I was just about to
> > string a piano, thought that I would know in a few days.
> >
> >   Turns out I don't string that way at all, but dress the coils after
>every
> > few pins and level after each section, so don't know how long it will
>take!
> > I would guess about 2-3 hours??  Anyone have any input on this for me?
> >
> >   Thanks!
> >   Diane
> >
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