[pianotech] Question about perfect pitch

[Farrell]

I understand that your question was hypothetical - so was my response.

Your first post characterized the hypothetical piano as one that "can't" be brought up to pitch. Like someone else said - no such beast exists - other than the very few that have a cracked plate or many strings breaking below pitch. And the reason I make an issue at all is that it is not at all uncommon to hear technicians (or rather "tooners") claim that a piano can't be brought up to pitch - 99.99% of the time, they if fact can be tuned to standard pitch. That was my point.

The piano you have in mind is a Krannich & Bach. Yes, I guess you need to say more. What's the problem with it besides it being old (and it has funky whippens)? How would tuning the piano to standard pitch cause the bridge to pop off (I guess I'd be assuming here that there is not oodles of negative string bearing)?

Sure the piano is old and worn out. Piece of junk. Needs a complete rebuilding to produce any sort of "real" music. I've seen a million of 'em (well, maybe a few thousand). But IF you are willing to "tune" it - part of tuning is tuning the piano to standard pitch!

I have tuned pianos below standard pitch - but only a handful. And then only when the owner is some little old lady who is not taking lessons, plays by herself, doesn't play to other music, isn't practicing for choir, and has suggested to me that she would appreciate the cost savings. Anyone else, the piano gets tuned to standard pitch - neither the piano owner, nor the piano, has any problem with it.

I guess part of my mission in this profession is to stamp out that old-world tale that "older pianos just can't be tuned to standard pitch".....

Terry Farrell
  ----- Original Message ----- 
        This piano needs so much, that ethically, I think that I would be taking the client;s money for anything other than a tuning...it should be totally restored or just tuned and thats it. 

  Julia

      Why can't it be brought up to pitch?

      Terry Farrell
            Actually, my question is upright questopn is hypothetical. The piano I have in mind is a 111 year old Krannich & Bach, and I dont want to ever hear the bridge pop off, let alone repair it....K & B need I say more?

    Julia

            Are people with "perfect pitch" really bothered by  music played on an old upright that is tuned say,  60 cents or a half step flat because it cant be brought up to pitch?
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