Pitch raising on older pianos

[Farrell]

Just my 2 cents worth here. At least 50% of my clients are new customers,
and hence many pianos I tune have not been tuned for a long time (at least
50% of my appointments get a pitch raise). I have done several old uprights
that were in the area of 300 cents flat (my personal record is 450 cents
flat!). Among the old uprights that I had to do pitch raises on, I would say
that 90%+ go up to A440 without any string breakage. About 98% with, at
worst, a few broken strings (usually in the high treble). I can only think
of two old pianos in the past 2 years that I did not bring up to A440 (when
the owner agreed that was desirable). One was the 450 cent flat job - it was
130 years old with original strings, and the other was an old Steinway M
that shot a bass string across the room when I raised the lid - it was super
rusty and moldy inside.

When they are real flat and old, such as in your case, I would shoot for
A440 on the first pass (no overshoot), maybe even staying about 10 cents
flat in the hi treble. Then I would do a second treble pass, again going to
A440 with no overshoot (sometimes I will go 5 or 10 cents sharp). This will
get the whole piano within 25 cents flat of A440. Then do one full pass
using an appropriate overshoot (this way you will never be overshooting by
more than about 10 cents). Now tune. You will find that if you are using a
SAT or RCT, you will likely be very happy with a one pass tuning because the
pitch raise from less than 25 cents flat should be pretty close.

IMHO, I would spend a bit of time trying to pound (gently of course on the
old gal) some stability into the strings, and not be overly concerned with
doing a concert-level tuning.

I find it kinda fun to take an old buzzard that sound soooooooooo BAD, and
get it up to pitch and sounding pretty nice in less than 2 hours (multiple
pitch raises, maybe more than 2 hours). :-)

Terry Farrell
Piano Tuning & Service
Tampa, Florida
mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mitch Ruth" <mitch_ruth@hotmail.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, August 31, 2000 6:42 AM
Subject: Pitch raising on older pianos


> Hi all...
>
> I am lovin' this list! I have a general question for everyone.  I tuned a
> 1910 Harvard Piano this week.  It was sitting at a whole step plus 20
cents
> flat.  The interior has been maintained and the single bass strings have
> been replaced at some time.  No major corrosion at the bearing points.  I
> don't like to leave a piano lower than concert pitch if circumstances
allow
> for a pitch raising.  But I have always been hesitant to bring an older
> piano that far up in one visit.  Am I being too cautious?
>
> Aside from the particular methods you might use to raise the pitch, what
> preparations do you make when you do a pitch raising?  Do you have any
> special tricks you use?  Thanks...
>
> Mitch Ruth
> DeMossville, KY
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