<html> <body> Terry, I've noticed this too.  I typically say that the new-string-stretch has been eliminated.  I tell customers with new pianos that to stabilize they will have to tune more often to begin with.  If they don't they'll simply have to do more later.  I've tuned an old upright that had been well maintained by a great grandmother and then languished for years, decades, until a great-grandson wanted to learn.  It was over eighty cents flat.  I got it up and clean in one pass (most new pianos want more).  Three months later it was 3-5 cents flat and fine tuned easily.  Oh, and it went flat when summer was over and the furnace came on and sharp again in the spring. I tuned a five-year-old yamaha baby grand that had one tuning by the store after delivery.  I did a sixty cent pitch-raise on it and three months later did a twelve cent pitch raise.  If you don't take up new-piano-string-stretch in the beginning you will take it up later. >This sounds like a bunch of poppycock! Established memory? Maybe a persistent bend in a string, but established memory? >Way too romantic. Is this theory promulgated by the originators of "the circle of sound"? Are you talking about the circle of fifths here?  I wouldn't be too critical of that. Also, if your clients keep switching back and forth between tuners ( I had one) you will notice that the piano doesn't compare well with ones you have maintained exclusively.  (Especially if the other one can't hear anything above C5.)  Come second, third, and fourth tuning of a consistent approach to tuning the instrument, you will notice that it is close and more consistent each time (barring weather extremes, read humidity).  Call it what you will, "memory" isn't a bad description. <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Any chance, as compared to a newer piano, that this old piano simply has strings that have lost much of their elasticity and has a flat soundboard? I wouldn't call such a condition "established memory", but rather "lack of function".</blockquote>Newer pianos that are frequently tuned stabilize, hold and respond to tunings well without their soundboards being called into question.  That old one I mentioned did not have any visible cracks, I didn't check for crown.  It sounded good considering the condition of the hammers.  "One thing at a time" said the customer. <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>me as it was right up to pitch. Established memory? I really don't think so. Non-elastic strings and a flat soundboard? Seems much more likely to me.</blockquote> I must disagree with you here, Terry.  Try re-tuning your piano to a well-temperament, say, using a circle of fifths.  Watch what happens over a week with an ETD.  You might choose different terminology but it would equate with "memory."  I've found on my piano that three tunings are necessary spread over two to three weeks before an alternate tuning holds reasonably well for a couple months.  The compressed wood in the bridges and soundboard "remember"/"respond to" the tension they were under. Being "scientific" is OK.  Being a good communicator works well in the business place. Andrew A.</body> </html>