Pin moves, pitch doesn't

[J Patrick Draine]

Richard,
It's a common, although unpleasant phenomenon. No need to "blame
yourself" but a time to consider supplementary techniques.
The "cause" is excess friction in the string segments between the
tuning pin and the speaking length. In some cases this may involve
excessively high angles that the segments go through. Often it will be
friction against the understring felt.
Sometimes pushing against these segments (as well as the speaking
length) with a hammer shank may help equalize the tension. Sometimes
lifting the offending string with a string hook can help dislodge the
rust or buzz causing the hangup.
Some folks have found using Protek CPL or Prolube (the slightly
heavier viscosity fluid) on the underfelt, and sometimes the V-bar,
will reduce these problems. Just don't splash it around too much --
probably not good for bass string windings or the pinblock.
Patrick Draine

On 4/2/07, Richard Morgan <rsanbornmorgan at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> On Saturday, I encountered a problem I haven't experienced before.  On two
> separate pianos, a single tuning pin would turn, but the pitch wouldn't,
> until much later.  Test blows had no significant effect.  On one piano, I
> muted the string, since it was an outside string, and I would not see it
> again for a while.  On the other, I got it to pitch, or so I thought.  Since
> I would see it again (it's at my church), I didn't mute it, but figured I'd
> retouch it before it was used next.  And, of course, that note drifted
> noticeably.  The first piano was a spinet that hadn't been tuned in a while,
> and the second was a Steinway M that I have tuned fairly regularly, and have
> not experienced this problem before.
>
> What did I do to cause that phenomenon (apparently on the Steinway, the
> problem is mine), and what can I do to fix it?
>
> Thanks in advance for all the help available from this list.
> Richard Morgan
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