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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=843193423-09062006><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>I'll give it a shot. You say that instead of a hard test
blow, you deflect the string with a stick. How, where, what is the
sequence?</FONT></SPAN></DIV><BR>
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<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org
[mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <B>On Behalf Of </B>John M.
Formsma<BR><B>Sent:</B> Friday, June 09, 2006 3:16 PM<BR><B>To:</B> 'Pianotech
List'<BR><B>Subject:</B> RE: More on hearing protection<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
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<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Andrew,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">I’m not exactly sure
just what you’re asking. Maybe say it a different way? Sorry to be
dense.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">John
Formsma<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal><B><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">From:</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT
face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">
pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">On Behalf Of </SPAN></B>Andrew and Rebeca
Anderson<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> Friday, June 09,
2006 2:14 PM<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B>
<st1:PersonName w:st="on">Pianotech List</st1:PersonName><BR><B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> RE: More on hearing
protection</SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
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style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">John,<BR>I'm one of this thumper grasped in my fist
test-blowing tuners. I've always thought there's got to be a better way
but haven't got the stability I want without it. How does it work
(mechanically) in practice to play and then test?<BR><BR>Andrew<BR><BR>At 08:25
PM 6/8/2006, you wrote:<BR><BR><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy">Geoff,<BR> <BR>I just learned a new
thing to allow one to tune a piano at pianissimo levels. *(Courtesy of Leonard
Gustafson, RPT, of the Memphis PTG chapter, who picked it up from a Steinway
tech doing a technical at one of our chapter meetings.)<BR> <BR>Anyway, you
use a vertical hammer shank (or something similar) to slightly deflect the
string after its tuned. The idea is that a hard test blow will show any string
movement (from deflection by the hammer). A deflection by a hammer shank will
also do this, but at a greater level than the severest test blow ever could. I
used this yesterday on the four pianos I tuned (2 verts & 2 grands), and it
worked very well, although its slow at first b/c its a new skill. I gave one
string ten whacks as hard as I could, and nothing moved in the slightest. I also
did a few hard blows in various sections to ensure that it works everywhere. Im
very glad to know of this as my playing/test blow elbow has been sore
lately.<BR> <BR>The only downside I can see is that it might take a bit
longer at first. (Leonard tunes in 45min to 1 hour, so it hasnt slowed him
down.) The positives are that we wont have hearing loss from hard test blows,
and body damage is also greatly reduced. Ill gladly trade test blows for a few
more years of hearing and less pain.<BR> <BR>John
Formsma<BR> <BR> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal><B><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">From:</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT
face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">
pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [<A href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org"
eudora="autourl"> mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</A>] <B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">On Behalf Of </SPAN></B>Geoff Sykes<BR><B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> Thursday, June 08, 2006 2:00
AM<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B> Pianotech@Ptg.
Org<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> More on hearing
protection<BR></SPAN></FONT> <BR><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">With the "Noise-Induced Hearing Loss, Part 2" article in
the Q&A section of The Journal, I'd like to hear from some fellow tech's who
have tried the Zem earplugs, by Sensgard. They're ugly, but the technology is
such a different approach than just a simple "plug" that perhaps they could be
very useful. I have been using 32db foam Hearos, but I find that while the foam
is comfortable I get a lot of attenuation variation from one set to the next,
and they're not that flat in response. I also have a pair of </SPAN></FONT><FONT
face=Geneva size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva">Etymotic</SPAN></FONT> High
Fidelity Earplugs, (identical to the Hearos High Fidelity Ear Filters), which
work great. My only complaints are that they're not that long term comfortable
and that since the frequency response is much flatter, the attenuation, (rated
at 20db), is perhaps a little too much. Zem claims 32db reduction.
<BR> <BR><FONT size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">-- Geoff Sykes<BR>--
Assoc. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Los
Angeles</st1:place></st1:City></SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P></DIV><BR></BODY></HTML>