Type O

[Ron Nossaman]

> Modern steel wire can and should be stabilized by a multitude of stepped 
> down pitches from over pitch. I generally give newly strung pianos at 
> least 5 tunings (after several chips), and I start the overall pitch at 
> 445, then 444, and so on. I also give my clients three free tunings 
> within the first 6 months (or more but on a paid basis, if necessary), 
> since that is still part of the restoration period.
>  
> PR-J
>  
> *"If you want to know the truth, stop having opinions" (Chinese fortune 
> cookie)*
>  
>  
> In a message dated 02/21/07 23:26:04 Central Standard Time, 
> deanmay at pianorebuilders.com writes:
> 
>     In short, my theory on the cause of major pitch drops is that it
>     mostly happens in pianos that have never had the initial tunings
>     required to get the stretch taken out of the new wire.

There are at least a couple of folks out there with good heavy 
steel monochords that will take wood compaction out of the 
equation. One of them installing a new string, straightening 
and settling it around the hitch pins and bearing points, 
pulling it to pitch a couple of times (or five) over a week or 
so, and checking the pitch once a week for a month or six 
should be able to answer the question of how much modern music 
wire stretches with time. This question should have been laid 
to rest one way or another fifty years ago.

Ron N

"That wasn't chicken"  (Chinese fortune cookie)