<HTML><HEAD><TITLE></TITLE> <META http-equiv=Content-Type= content=text/html;charset=ISO-8859-1></HEAD> <BODY text=#000000 bgColor=#ffffff> I agree, thats the way I do it... David I.     ----- Original message= ----------------------------------------> From: Mike McCoy= <<A= href="mailto:mjmccoy@usa.com">mjmccoy@usa.com</A>> To:= Pianotech <<A= href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A>> Rec= eived: Thu, 11 Nov 2004 12:36:01 -0500 Subject: Re: A-440 and= Ethics. 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?? Is a new student's= progress hampered by a flat= piano? Mike Mike McCoy Langhorne,= Pa <A class=moz-txt-link-abbreviated= href="mailto:Alpha88x@aol.com">Alpha88x@aol.com</A>= wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE cite=mid12d.4f1f4abb.2ec4eaca@aol.com= type="cite">Greetings,=          &n= bsp;  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.         &n= bsp;    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.         &n= bsp;     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.=          &n= bsp; 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.         &nbs= p; On hearing these pianos, they are so, so neglected and out of= tune, the piano always 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.         &= nbsp; My tuning teacher used to say "As long as it sounds a lot= better when you leave than from when you arrived".= Julia, Reading,= PA</BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>