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<DIV><FONT size=2>Benny,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Sounds like real mystery. FWIW, I think maybe =
the
strings are starting to "neck" at the rendering points. That is, =
thinning and
stretching due to very aggressive playing that is probably going on. =
That and a
host of other things like loose tuning pins or your hammer technique in =
setting
pins with a"mushy" feel. Do you notice that this piano is hard to tune? =
Do you
find that the tuning pins turn easily, but the string just doesn't seem =
to want
to render (move thru bearing points), then it moves all at once, =
sometimes
overshooting where you'd really like it to wind up? Typical of older =
Yamahas
where the string is corroded and sticks on the under felt and everywhere =
else.
The best way to set the string for this type of situation is to tune =
from the
bottom, that is, bringing the pitch of the string up from below pitch to =
just
exactly the place you want it to be. Never try to "bump" the string from =
above
the correct place back down into place. It won't work. If the piano =
is
sharp as most pianos near the end of the high humidity season are right =
now, you
need to knock the strings below pitch, then bring them up as per =
above. You
can try hosing down the area with Protec to lubricate the felt =
and bearing
points but I have never had great success with that method. The piano =
with that
condition really needs to be restrung.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Other things to explore: Broken or cracked strut =
(unlikely).
Loose pinblock. Nah, whole areas would be going out of pitch and you =
didn't say
that. Very high tuning pins in the block coupled with mushy tuning pin =
bushings.
Are there tied strings in that area and are they unwinding? Try =
replacing a
string and follow it closely for a few weeks. Could be the wire is just =
getting
tired. :-)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Good luck, and let us know what seems to work out =
best in this
situation. I for one, would really like to know.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>Joseph Alkana RPT<BR><A
href="mailto:josephspiano@home.com">josephspiano@home.com</A></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=precisionpiano@alltel.net
href="mailto:precisionpiano@alltel.net">Benny L. Tucker</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, September 17, =
2001 7:20
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Unstable C5 =
Grand</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>Hi list;<BR> I am soliciting the =
advice of
you piano tuning wizards to help me solve<BR>a tuning
problem.<BR> Piano is a Yamaha C5 Grand, =
approximately 13
years old. In a large<BR>Baptist Church . There are 2 electric guitars =
and
electric bass, full drum<BR>set and all amplifiers on stage and right =
behind
the pianist. No humidity<BR>control system on piano. The problem is in =
stability of the unisons, but<BR>only in about a 1 or 2 octave area. =
It starts
about 5-6 notes before the<BR>capo bar/plate strut up to about 5-8 =
notes above
this strut.<BR> Now I'm not talking about perfect =
unisons
starting to whine a little,<BR>I'm<BR>talking about unisons slipping =
out very
badly. I have tried every trick I<BR>know,<BR>and I just can't get it =
to
stabilize for more than a week. The strings<BR>"seem" to =
be<BR>rendering over
the bearing points good. The tuning pins are tight enough.<BR>The =
pitch stays
very stable on this piano, even without a DC system<BR>installed. The =
piano is
very bright and needs voicing, but the music<BR>director<BR>likes this =
bright
sound.<BR> If this sounds like a hammer technique or =
string
setting problem, please<BR>respond with advice. I have tuned pianos =
all over
the central Ga. area, and<BR>never had a<BR>call back, except for the
recommended 6-month tuning. I feel my techniques<BR>are good,<BR>but =
any and
all advice will be mostly appreciated. FWIW, I did lube the<BR>v-bar =
in this
area<BR>with cpl, result=no help.<BR> Thank you =
for allowing
me to post to this list, and I look forward to<BR>many more =
conversations with
you all.<BR><BR> Benny L.
Tucker<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>