<font color='black' size='2' face='Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif'> <div><font style="background-color: transparent;" size="3" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Marshall</font></div> <div><font size="3"></font> </div> <div><font size="3">You'll get a lot of responses to the tuning lever, but in regards to tuning the top notes on a grand.  First of all, unless there is a lot of junk on top of the piano, the lid has to be all the way up. This gives me full access to all the strings, and gives me great flexibity as to where I can put the strip and/or mutes. It also gives me a much better sound. I'm right handed, so I tune sitting down, with the lever at about 1 or 2 (sometimes 3) o'clock, until the lever gets too close to the rim. Then I stand up and stand to the side of the piano, with the lever over the strings, or even at 11 o'clcok. (As a rule, I usually stand up when I reach the last section, which is about an octave and half). I very seldom have a problem with the lid prop, but if it gets in the way, I deal with it.  </font></div> <div> </div> <div><font size="3">Regarding the two or three notes in the tenor before the break, I think part of the reason you're having difficulty is your hammer. The 21C is a short hammer, unless you've already extended all the way. But if you extend your hammer to that distance there is too much flex in the shaft.  For the best control, the hammer should be about 12" - 14" long, like the 21 or 16. </font></div> <div><font size="3"></font> </div> <div><font size="3">I would also recommend you get a hammer with a ball on the end, especially if you do a lot of uprights. I used to use a 21, and until about 8 years ago, had a lot of elbow problems. The minute I bought a Faulk hammer with a ball on the end of the shaft, my elbow problems went away, almost overnight. </font></div> <div><font size="3"></font> </div> <div><font size="3">Wim</font></div> <div><font size="3"></font> </div> <div></div> <div></div> <div style="color: black; font-family: arial,helvetica; font-size: 10pt;">-----Original Message-----<br> From: Marshall Gisondi <pianotune05@hotmail.com><br> To: pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org><br> Sent: Tue, Dec 4, 2012 5:00 pm<br> Subject: [pianotech] 8th grade education<br> <br> <div id="AOLMsgPart_1_f6a5a9f4-fe8f-4bf6-93c9-45d074609ef3"> <div dir="ltr"> <font size="3" face="Arial">I'm curious,</font><br> <font size="3" face="Arial">Since education was so thorough back then, then whyy on earth did the guys who built the duplex my wife and I are renting in  1915 fail to use insulation? I mean really didn' tthey have anything back then?  I would like to get a larger place to live so we can have a piano. I know sounds odd for a piano tech to be missing a piano lol  </font><br> <font size="3" face="Arial"></font> <br> <font size="3" face="Arial">Speaking of pianos now, have any of you ever found the last two or three bichord strings in the tennor problematic when striving for a clean crisp unison?  I know much is said about hammer control, but is there ever a possibility that some tuning levers are inferior to others or does tuning strictly have to do with hammer control period no matter how expensive or inexpensive of a hammer one uses?  Is all of this talk about different levers a matter of preference?  I have the schaff 21c lever and I bought the universal head and tip that are one unit because I needed a better head for clearing plate struts in grands when tuning, but for whatever reason the new head doesn't screw on tight.  It tightens so much loosens and then gets too tight again. I'm hoping I can get this off again.  Also what have you found that works when tuning grands in the treble section where the rim and often the lid support get in the way and you have to get in a twisted position in order to tune up there.  What are your thoughts on all of this?  </font><br> <font size="3" face="Arial">Marshall</font><br> <font size="3" face="Arial">215-510-9400</font><br> <font size="3" face="Arial"><a href="http://www.phillytuner.com" target="_blank">http://www.phillytuner.com</a> </font><br> </div> </div>  </div> </font>