<html> <body> John, 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? Andrew At 08:25 PM 6/8/2006, you wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite=""> Geoff,   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.)   Anyway, you use a vertical hammer shank (or something similar) to slightly deflect the string after it’s 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 it’s slow at first b/c it’s 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. I’m very glad to know of this as my playing/test blow elbow has been sore lately.   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 hasn’t slowed him down.) The positives are that we won’t have hearing loss from hard test blows, and body damage is also greatly reduced. I’ll gladly trade test blows for a few more years of hearing and less pain.   John Formsma     <hr> <div align="center"></div> From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [<a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org" eudora="autourl"> mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a>] On Behalf Of Geoff Sykes Sent: Thursday, June 08, 2006 2:00 AM To: Pianotech@Ptg. Org Subject: More on hearing protection   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 Etymotic 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.   -- Geoff Sykes -- Assoc. Los Angeles</blockquote></body> </html>