Charging for Pitch Raises

[Dave Nereson]

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  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: William R. Monroe=20
  To: pianotech@ptg.org=20
  Sent: Wednesday, April 17, 2002 1:16 PM
  Subject: Re: Charging for Pitch Raises


  Mike and List,

  If one properly pitch raises an instrument, and finishes with a solid =
fine tuning, is there validity saying that the instrument will not hold =
this tuning as well as if it were tuned regularly?  I was under the =
impression that in this scenario, the instrument would hold tune well, =
perhaps only slightly less well than a regularly serviced instrument on =
which PR are not needed or performed.

        It's my experience that after you've raised pitch more than =
about 20 cents (varies piano to piano), the tuning will not hold as =
well, no matter how many times you go over it, as it would had the piano =
been up to pitch when you started.  It may also depend on how long the =
piano stood at a lower pitch.=20

    <<That brings up another point.  How many technicians raise pitch in =
increments in this case?  I find no reason not to yank each string over =
pitch by 1/3 of the flatness no matter how flat it is.  String breakage =
does not seem to be a problem, and 40-50 cents over is not unusual.  =
However in talking to those in our Syracuse chapter leaving the piano =
below pitch, or raising in 10-20 cent steps until the proper pitch is =
reached it most common.  Any comments?     Mike Kurta  >>

        Nah, I pull it right up there, overshooting by about 25 - 33%.  =
If the piano is somewhat decrepit or the strings show a lot of rust, I =
try not to yank.  If it's really old (before 1900 or so) or gives =
indications of not being able to "take" A440, I might leave it at A435, =
where it was designed to be anyhow.  Also, I tighten plate screws first =
and seat strings on the bridges first on old pianos, just to break "rust =
bonds" and jar them loose a little before I bring them up all that way.  =
I don't see the point in the increments method -- if something's gonna =
go, it'll do it on your last increment, whether that's today or in 5 =
years (assuming you quit raising pitch when something "goes").     =
--David Nereson, RPT, Denver

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