Unison Width - was stability issue

[Kevin E. Ramsey RPT]

I have always found Kimballs to be problematic. There is just so much
falseness there. I believe that to be caused by poor string termination
points.
    My usual goal with all pianos is to get the unisons as absolutely clean
as possible, and when I'm done, going back to listen to see if I can't catch
one that has slipped. I try to listen as high up the harmonic scale as
possible while tuning them. If you want more "color" in your unisons, I
would suggest just waiting a day, they'll already be shifting a little bit
by then.
    That reminds me of something I was meaning to mention on this list; The
other day I was tuning a Baldwin "R" at our dealership, first thing in the
morning. After getting it stabilized at A440, I was doing the fine tuning. I
did the temperament, down into the bass, and was going up into octave 6.
Just then some movers came in the back door about 10 feet from where I was
working, and I felt the cold air come in. ( About 50 degrees.)  The piano
IMMEDIATELY, and I mean within a minute and a half, went way sharp
throughout the entire middle of the piano. I measured it: 6.1 cents. Took it
twenty minutes to warm back up and drop back down. All the plate bolts were
snug, too.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Monday, November 20, 2000 6:38 PM
Subject: Unison Width - was stability issue


> "Are the hammers hard? If so softening them will give a "wider" acceptable
> unison."
>
> Hmmmm. I was going to make a post about that - so here goes: I have
noticed
> when tuning unisons on some pianos (most often pianos in decent shape and
> finer grands, etc.) you have alot of play around the "in tune" point. It
> seems like you can make in "in tune"/dead still, "in tune"/with a bit of
> life, "in tune"/but kinda sounding like sparkling, etc. I can move the pin
a
> bit this way and a bit that way and it will sound a bit different, but
still
> sound "in tune". Kimball consoles, et. al., often have this razor sharp
> divide between sounding acceptable and having the unison scream at you.
Just
> hard hammers?
>
> What gives? Anyone got some expertise here?
>
> Terry Farrell
> Piano Tuning & Service
> Tampa, Florida
> mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Don" <drose@dlcwest.com>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Monday, November 20, 2000 3:50 PM
> Subject: Re: ..stability issue..
>
>
> > Hi Rook,
> >
> > I would suggest that ladies look better in skirts. Fabricate a nearly
> floor
> > length "curtain" out of a vapour proof material so that the humidity
> > control systems are working on the pianos and not the environment. I
also
> > suggest using *one* humidistat for both systems and running cords
between
> > them. I have had situations where using 2 humidistats caused the DC
units
> > to "fight" one another.
> >
> > Are the hammers hard? If so softening them will give a "wider"
acceptable
> > unison.
> >
> > At 08:51 AM 11/20/2000 -0500, you wrote:
> > >Good Morning.
> > >
> > >There are 2 Baldwin "R"'s in a restaurant that I have been trying to
> > >maintain as a customer..frankly, I am getting frustrated with the
> complaints
> > >that they won't stay in tune.
> > >
> > >I have:
> > >
> > >seated all strings.
> > >beat the heck out of all strings while tuning.
> > >added DC to both.
> > >tried to educate the player..some people just don't want to listen or
> hear
> > >what's being said..he is not a 'hard' player.
> > >
> > >..still the same complaints..one piano is being played 6 nights a week
> while
> > >the other is used sparingly..it is the complaint that Piano#1 goes out
of
> > >tune within a week of me being there and Piano#2 lasts 2 weeks..now
> please
> > >understand that 'out of tune' means, to this person, that some unisons
> are
> > >starting to drift.
> > >
> > >Both pianos are scheduled to be tuned every 2 months.
> > >
> > >The restaurant's climate is not ideal, and that is why I suggested the
DC
> > >for both..but it doesn't seem to be adding any stability to my work.
> > >
> > >I have questioned my own 'technique'..but only with this customer,
which
> > >makes me think that it's not my technique preventing these pianos from
> > >staying in tune since I don't have this complaint with any other
> customers
> > >that tune as frequently as this one does.
> > >
> > >Does anyone have a suggestion for improved stability, based on what's
> been
> > >said here?
> > >
> > >At wits end,
> > >Rook
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> > Regards,
> > Don Rose, B.Mus., A.M.U.S., A.MUS., R.M.T., R.P.T.
> >
> > Tuner for the Saskatchewan Centre of the Arts
> >
> > drose@dlcwest.com
> > http://donrose.xoasis.com/
> >
> > 3004 Grant Rd.
> > REGINA, SK
> > S4S 5G7
> > 306-352-3620 or 1-888-29t-uner
> >
>