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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Glad this topic came up. I run into =
this situation
fairly often. There is one tooner in the area who seems to have very =
seldom
addressed the issue of pitch with his clients. So, I have to deal with =
pianos
that are pretty consistently about a half-step low. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Standard procedure of =
mine:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>1) Explain to customer the situation =
and the
alternatives for dealing with it. Emphasize the value of A-440, =
including the
use of the piano with other instruments. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>2) Apply Pro-Tek to upper bearing =
points,
CAREFULLY!!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>3) Even out the tension over the entire =
piano, if
it is grossly more flat in some area(s) (usually the =
treble).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>4) Raise pitch quickly, aiming either =
for A-440 or
to obtain a max of about 50 cents rise. Don't over-pull more than 10 or =
15 cents
if possible. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>5) If pitch raising pass ended up, say, =
15 or 20
cents low, make another pitch raising pass to get it to =
A-440.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>6) Generally, I don't like to raise =
pitch more than
about 50 cents per visit as this seems to results in greater instability =
later.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>7) Do a nice tuning AT A-440, really =
working to set
the pins and render the strings well to achieve maximum =
stability.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>By working "fast and dirty" for the =
early stages of
this, I can stay within my usual time budget and not have to charge any =
more for
the pitch-raise part. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>By working hard and doing the "heavy =
lifting" of
stabilising the piano early in my tenure with it, I make for an easy =
time for
myself later. Frankly, it's kind of nice to hear repeatedly, "Oh, the =
other
tuner never did all that!", or, "Wow, you sure are thorough!", or "You =
know, my
church has six million pianos. When can you get to those?". Like that.
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>For myself, the biggest "pay off" is =
when I hear
that Little Suzie or Mighty Mike is spending more time practising for =
their
piano lessons and is enjoying it more. Never forget, even in the middle =
muddle
of trudging through a seemingly helpless and hopeless little POS spinet, =
just
how music affects human lives. Never. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I give due warnings about possible =
string breakage.
It happens to me maybe once ever 150 or 200 tunings. I've also had to =
deal with
a couple of cracked plates in 15 years. But, I also factor in to the =
decision
making process the likely future stability of the instrument. A fair =
percentage
of the time, the customer elects to just leave the piano flat. It just =
is not
all that tremendously important to them. Sad, but true. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>ProTek on the bearing points really =
does seem to
make a huge difference in reducing string breakage and in ease of =
tuning.
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Take care, everyone,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Robin Blankenship</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Southside Piano Service</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Matoaca, =
Virginia</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>