Trouble setting string

[Jon Page]

On pianos with an acute angle between the M-bar and counter-bearing bar
you have to pull the string up to pitch and leave it. There is no finesse. The
friction is too great. Tune it as fast as you can, you will find that it is no
worst than had you slaved over it for hours. 

As with tuning any piano, your last motion with the hammer should be 'up'
so the string segment between the pin and counter-bearing is not diminished
in tension. This makes the tuning more stable. I forgot who it was but I
learned
this many years ago at a convention, perhaps it was George D.

Hope this helps,

Jon  Page

At 05:41 PM 12/22/99 -0800, you wrote:
>Dear List,
>This came in from Bill Gerow, who is not on the List.  He is referring to
>the Q & A question of "Sagging Center String" (PTJournal,Oct. '99) asked by
>Ed Carwithen.
>
>
>I read with interest Ed Carwithen's question concerning "moving Strings".  I
>am not an RPT, and this may have something to do with my tuning problems as
>well - HOWEVER-( I only failed my tuning exam by one mark) I have tuned at
>least 1000 pianos and seem to have difficulty with a handful of them. The
>fact that the strings either 1) go over the capo bar at such a steep number
>of angles or 2) the angle is so slight that the same thing results. In the
>"Waterfall" situation I sometimes have to move the hammer a distance of "10
>minutes" before I notice a pitch change. I am banging the key and NOTHING
>happens. Now regarding Ed's comment -- I have had the same thing happen to
>me. I use a Yamaha scope but the tuning boxes are not the question -- the
>inability for me to set the note and have it there when I tune its companion
>string -or perhaps it is a new string combining with the next note. I
>usually use jerky movements again coming from above pitch to where I want
>it. These tuning experiences drive me crazy - however I don't want to loose
>a regular customer.Even the customer commented on how long it took
> Steinway 1900's- split tenor bridge. I will seek out some advice from other
>RPT's in my chapter but any insight would be VERY welcome.
>
>Bill Gerow --Ottawa Chapter
>  
Jon Page
piano technician; Harwich Port, Cape Cod, Mass.
mailto:jonpage@mediaone.net
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