[pianotech] How to tune a Winter Spinet

Fri Dec 25 12:13:42 MST 2009

OK, Carl, on onboard

Al - 
High Point, NC
  From: Carl Teplitski 
  Sent: Friday, December 25, 2009 1:49 PM
  To: pianotech at ptg.org 
  Subject: Re: [pianotech] How to tune a Winter Spinet

  Merry Christmas to all . 

  Odd thing you mention, about the artist using a poor piano to write, and arrange on,
  whilst he had a much better piano elsewhere in his possesion.  I had a friend who 
  did exactly the same.  He had a Gulbranson beauty in his teaching room in the 
  basement, and a quality Kawai, approx. 6' grand in his living room, where his daughter 
  practised and played.                                     Also,  the Gulbranson was previously owned
  by a symphony musician, who didn't actually play piano in the symphony, but  ;   brass. 

  ? ? ? ? ? ???????

  Is there a reason why " most " people don't mention where they are from? ?  Very few do.  
  Local address isn't necessary, but a  state or  province would be nice.

  Carl / Winnipeg.   
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: John Musselwhite 
    To: pianotech at ptg.org 
    Sent: Tuesday, December 22, 2009 12:37 PM
    Subject: Re: [pianotech] How to tune a Winter Spinet

    At 06:29 PM 19/12/2009, Joe wrote:

      Winter Spinets are  lovely compared to the crap I've had to  attempt to tune this week!!! The first one was a Yammie GA-1. IMHO, the GA stands for Gawd Awful!! It is worse than the olde GH-1's, (which stood for Grand Horrible One). They still don't have the scaling worked out in regards to Short Infantile types! (Even after I worked out a better solution 20+ years ago...which they paid for and totally disregarded! And that was when I knew pretty much Zilch about Scales!)<G>

    But Joe, if they scaled it right people wouldn't buy the higher end baby grands like the C1 or even the GC-1. Not that sales people usually tell the customers that. Both of those are quite acceptable for small pianos.

      Then,  today, A lovely Melodigrand Spinet, 64 notes. I'll have to say that was better then the Yammie. At least I didn't have to chase the  sucker all over the tuning map!

    Hey... I own one of those! Or at least, the Canadian equivalent called a "Cameo". Same piano but mine's held together with Robertson screws. It's a funky little piano that's great for experimenting with alternative temperaments and it doesn't take up much room. Mine also has two PZM mics in it so I can record the "lovely" sounds for my demos. 

    I look after one that belongs to a country artist with hundreds of certified hits under his belt, all written on his little Melodigrand rather than the Steinway O in his living room. 

    Another one I tune has been "converted" into a writing desk. By dropping down the custom-made music rack it opens into a desk with small drawers and pigeon holes. Close the desk and it's a piano... of sorts. I have pictures somewhere.

      Have a Cool Yule Fool

    Groovy... and ditto!

                     John

    -------------------------------
    John Musselwhite, RPT  -  Registered Piano Technician
    Musselwhite Piano Services - Calgary, Alberta Canada
    Office/cel (403) 246-7717 Fax (403) 255-5268
    Outside of Calgary call Toll Free:  1-866-95-PIANO (1-866-957-4266)
    "Three Generations of Experience"
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