<WBR>You have the right idea about doing the pitch raise first, to see if the piano will hold. So I would do the pitch raise first. Pluck the strings of the notes without hammers. Even with some of the keys not working right, you should be able to get the hammer to strike some of the strings. <br> <br> <div style="CLEAR: both">Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT<br> Piano Tuner/Technician<br> Honolulu, HI<br> 808-349-2943<br> www.bleespiano.com<br> Author of <br> The Business of Piano Tuning<br> available from Potter Press<br> www.pianotuning.com</div> <br> <br> -----Original Message-----<br> From: Matthew Todd <toddpianoworks@att.net><br> To: pianotech@ptg.org<br> Sent: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 2:47 am<br> Subject: Cracked Apron<br> <br> <div id=AOLMsgPart_2_0240689f-a486-476f-90e5-d52641ba5e11> <div>Hi List,</div> <div> </div> <div>I gave my client an estimate for repairs for her upright she bought from a private party for $100.  The repairs include new keytops, bushings (both rails), new hammers and damper felts.  The piano is also 100+ cents flat.  This is the piano with the cracked apron.</div> <div> </div> <div>Before I do any work, should I begin with giving it several pitch raises and tunings to see if it'll hold?  The problem with that is that several of the keys do not work right because they need new bushings.  So, should I commence with the keys first and then tune it?  I just thought about the customer paying hundreds of dollars for key work, and then hundreds more for pitch raises and tunings to find the piano won't hold the tune.  But then, how can I tune it well when the keys don't work right.</div> <div> </div> <div>On one of the keys, the shank is broken at the butt, so I'll need to repair that first.  And as far as replacing the hammers and damper felt, that could be done very last.</div> <div> </div> <div>I was just wondering about whether to do the keys first, or tune it first.  I thought maybe ya'll could tell with a few "rough" pitch raises whether the piano will hold.</div> <div> </div> <div>The strings are rusted, and the customer is aware of the risk involved here.</div> <div> </div> <div>Thanks,</div> <div>Matthew</div> </div> <div id='u8CAA1076E516018-1600-4925' class='aol_ad_footer'><FONT style="color: black; font: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px"><A title="http://toolbar.aol.com/moviefone/download.html?ncid=aolcmp00050000000011" href="http://toolbar.aol.com/moviefone/download.html?ncid=aolcmp00050000000011" target="_blank">Get the Moviefone Toolbar</A>. Showtimes, theaters, movie news, & more!</FONT> </div>