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<DIV>"all at once"</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>As in one pass?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Terry Farrell</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=mjmccoy@usa.com href="mailto:mjmccoy@usa.com">Mike =
McCoy</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, November 11, =
2004 12:36
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: A-440 and =
Ethics.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>I have yet to walk away from a piano leaving it flat, =
and the
majority of my customer base is 1920-30's uprights and I do it all at =
once
with RCT. Rarely do strings break and once I had 3, but that was the =
most. I
don't do this because of any philosophy of mine, but because it has =
been what
I learned from the Potter course, convention classes and other techs I =
respect. It was explained to me that early on that ear training is =
very
important for piano students. If the piano is intended for lessons and =
it can
not handle a pitch raise then it's time for a different piano, but I =
have not
had to condemn one yet. It is also my understanding that if the plate =
breaks
because of a pitch raise/correction then there was most likely a =
defect
in the plate, is that not true??<BR><BR>Is a new student's progress =
hampered
by a flat piano?<BR><BR>Mike<BR><BR><BR><BR>Mike McCoy <BR>Langhorne,
Pa<BR><BR><A class=moz-txt-link-abbreviated
href="mailto:Alpha88x@aol.com">Alpha88x@aol.com</A> wrote:<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE cite=mid12d.4f1f4abb.2ec4eaca@aol.com =
type="cite"><FONT
face=arial,helvetica><FONT lang=0 face=Arial size=2 =
family="SANSSERIF"
ptsize="10">Greetings,
=
<BR><BR>  =
;
Usually, when I get a tuning call, it is a piano which hasn't been =
kept up
the tunings on. I always ask how long since it was last tuned. They =
usually
don't know. especially if they have taken in an "orphan"
=
piano.<BR><BR>  =
;
I do not like to raise the A4 pitch on any piano more than say 1/4 a =
tone or
so, if it's been neglectd tunings. This is because I don't want to =
run the
risk of cracking anyone's harp plate, let alone breaking strings. =
Especially
on the little spinets, whose plates are 5/8" or less
=
thick.<BR><BR>  =
;
When I get to the house, I check the A-440 and it's octaves and get =
an idea
of the overall tone of the piano; whrere it went flat the most. I =
always
explain the concept of A-440 to the customer, and more times than =
not, it
doesnt matter to them if its up to A-440 or not.
<BR><BR> =
They
just would like it in tune with itself. I also explain that pianos =
are
designed to be tuned to A-440 for best results. (unless it is an =
extremely
old, dry upright that's seen better days and wont let you even =
gradually
take it up that far, even with subsequent tunings/loose pins or =
bridges
coming off) I tune it the best I can get it, to sound at the A-4?? =
and
suggest subsequent tunings so we can gradually get it there. They =
agree to a
reminder card from me for follow ups ....say, 4 to 6 mo for the =
first
follow-up. I also inform them that with each tuning the piano =
becomes more
stable and to never let a piano go more than 2 years
max.<BR><BR> =
On
hearing these pianos, they are so, so neglected and out of tune, the =
piano
<I>always</I> sounds better upon my departure, and thats all alot of =
folks
want in order to start the kid's lessons, without paying "an arm and =
a
leg". With customers who are more vigilant of how their piano =
sounds
is another
=
matter.<BR><BR> My =
tuning teacher used to say "As long as it sounds a lot better when =
you leave
than from when you arrived". <BR><BR>Julia, <BR>Reading,
PA</FONT></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>