<div dir="ltr">A lot of great responses so far, Les.<div><br></div><div style>Not sure if this will apply in your case. I have noticed in several different Kawai grands a tendency for some instability, at least with my normal test blows. What I mean is this: my normal test blows are pretty hard, and where most pianos would be stable, certain Kawai grands have pitch change caused by the normal test blow. My test blows are not merciless, but they are firm. In these particular Kawais, it didn't matter which lever technique I used, my normal test blow would cause immediate pitch drop. And I could pound them pretty far flat with repeated hard smacks. This would not happen in most pianos. And I can't think of any other brand where I've noticed this.</div>
<div style><br></div><div style>Nothing changed the fact that the string moved with a normal test blow. I have good lever technique and good stability, and am very confident in my tuning skills. So, what I did was back off of the test blow just a bit. Things went fine after that. I do think the stability of those pianos is likely just fine with the reduced test blows. Most of the time, we are striking the key with far greater force than it usually is played. These pianos all were the KG2 size or smaller, and in homes. Not likely to be pounded anyway.</div>
<div style><br></div><div style>But even if the stability is not there, it's not my fault. Can only do so much, as others have said.</div><div style><br></div><div style>Hope this helps.</div></div><div class="gmail_extra">
<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Jan 11, 2013 at 9:05 AM, Leslie Bartlett <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:l-bartlett@sbcglobal.net" target="_blank">l-bartlett@sbcglobal.net</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple">
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial">Do any besides me have pianos which take 4-5 hours to tune,
and if so how do you bill for them. I have some Chickerings which take me
that long, and I have a Kawai KG2 (which I’m tuning for a serious concert)
which I simply can’t get stable. Not that I get it set and then a whole
section will go out, but I just can’t get it to go and stay where it
should. I don’t know what to do in those instances. After all I’m
hired to tune the piano, but spending that long is quite counterproductive to
income. I have a customer on whom I spend more than average time but I love
the piano and her as a unique musician. She’s a professional
accompanist. I measured a “pitch raise” after a six month passage
of time, and was an average of 1.1 cents off- so I can tune. But there are a
few which just drive me nuts. Any ideas for sanity in these instances?<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial">Thanks<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial">Les Bartlett<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<font face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial"><br clear="all">
</span></font>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial"><u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br><div>John Formsma, RPT<br></div><div>Blue Mountain, MS</div>
</div>