<HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-= 1"> <META content="IncrediMail 1.0" name=GENERATOR>  </HEAD> <BODY style="BACKGROUND-POSITION: 0px 0px; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 5px= 10px 10px; FONT-FAMILY: Arial" bgColor=#ffffff background="" scroll== yes ORGYPOS="0"> <TABLE id=INCREDIMAINTABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width="100= %" border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD id=INCREDITEXTREGION style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; CURSOR: auto; FONT-F= AMILY: Arial" width="100%"> <DIV> The only way some grands could be tuned with a T hammer is to = bend the pin!!..... unless you have a bionic arm!!!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Robin</DIV> <DIV>South Australia</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV id=IncrediOriginalMessage><I>-------Original Message-------</I></D= IV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV id=receivestrings> <DIV dir=ltr style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt" <i><B>From:</B></I> <A href="m= ailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt" <i><B>Date:</B></I> 03/20/05 10:= 18:40</DIV> <DIV dir=ltr style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt" <i><B>To:</B></I> <A href="mai= lto:pianotech@a440piano.net">William R. Monroe</A></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt" <i><B>Cc:</B></I> <A href="mai= lto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt" <i><B>Subject:</B></I> Re: Impac= t Tuning Lever</DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Hello William and List</DIV> <DIV>As a left handed tuner I find it very easy to control the lever on a= n</DIV> <DIV>upright. I use the fingers of my left hand against the top of the pi= n block,</DIV> <DIV>and the lever in the thumb joint, to help inch up the lever. I go fo= r the</DIV> <DIV>ten o'clock position. In grands I always use a "T" hammer. But I hav= en't one</DIV> <DIV>of those "impact hammers". Can't get them here. The principle sounds= </DIV> <DIV>interesting though.</DIV> <DIV>Regards</DIV> <DIV>Michael G.(UK)</DIV> <DIV>----- Original Message -----</DIV> <DIV>From: "William R. Monroe" <<A href="mailto:pianotech@a440piano.= net">pianotech@a440piano.net</A>></DIV> <DIV>To: "Pianotech" <<A href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@p= tg.org</A>></DIV> <DIV>Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2005 9:32 PM</DIV> <DIV>Subject: Re: Impact Tuning Lever</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>> Alan,</DIV> <DIV>></DIV> <DIV>> I do think ambidextrous tuning is a good practice, for many rea= sons.  That</DIV> <DIV>> said, however, I must respectfully say that I think all any tec= hnician</DIV> <DIV>> needs</DIV> <DIV>> is properly developed technique.  Tuning right or lef= t handed should make</DIV> <DIV>> no</DIV> <DIV>> difference so long as the technician compensates for the physic= s of the</DIV> <DIV>> hammer position, movement, etc.</DIV> <DIV>></DIV> <DIV>> Sometimes, this is a conscious process; e.g. while tuning right= handed on</DIV> <DIV>> a</DIV> <DIV>> vertical, we understand that pulling the pin down a bit will re= sult in a</DIV> <DIV>> (relatively) higher pitch when released - all other things bein= g equal -</DIV> <DIV>> so</DIV> <DIV>> we compensate by not pulling above pitch as much prior to setti= ng.  This</DIV> <DIV>> is</DIV> <DIV>> a bit oversimplified, but I think you get the idea.  = I would expect that</DIV> <DIV>> mostly it is subconscious.  Whichever hand anyone use= s to tune is</DIV> <DIV>> irrelevant.  It is my position that knowing how the p= iano responds to your</DIV> <DIV>> particular tuning technique IS relevant and is what makes for a= good</DIV> <DIV>> tuning.</DIV> <DIV>> An ambidextrous technician should be equally capable of tuning = grands or</DIV> <DIV>> uprights with either hand, in my opinion.</DIV> <DIV>></DIV> <DIV>> William R. Monroe</DIV> <DIV>></DIV> <DIV>></DIV> <DIV>> ----- Original Message -----</DIV> <DIV>> From: "Alan Forsyth" <<A href="mailto:alanforsyth@fortune4= .fsnet.co.uk">alanforsyth@fortune4.fsnet.co.uk</A>></DIV> <DIV>> To: "Pianotech" <<A href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianot= ech@ptg.org</A>></DIV> <DIV>> Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2005 1:35 PM</DIV> <DIV>> Subject: Re: Impact Tuning Lever</DIV> <DIV>></DIV> <DIV>></DIV> <DIV>> " I also like your idea of using pitch raises to get used to le= ft-handed</DIV> <DIV>> work. I don't really have the time to try and fine-tune with my= left just</DIV> <DIV>> yet.</DIV> <DIV>> Good news!</DIV> <DIV>> -holly" >>>>>>>>>>>>>&gt= ;>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>= >></DIV> <DIV>></DIV> <DIV>></DIV> <DIV>> Don't know about you guys but we were taught to be ambidextrous= from day</DIV> <DIV>> one. Left handed for uprights and right handed for grands. The = main idea</DIV> <DIV>> is</DIV> <DIV>> that it automatically compensates for tuning pin setting. When = using your</DIV> <DIV>> left arm to tune an upright, the pin would tend to move upwards= (because</DIV> <DIV>> you</DIV> <DIV>> would be pushing up from underneath) and then settle back down.= If you</DIV> <DIV>> used</DIV> <DIV>> your right arm, you would tend to pull down on the pin. Visa ve= rsa with</DIV> <DIV>> grands.</DIV> <DIV>></DIV> <DIV>> AF</DIV> <DIV>>  ----- Original Message -----</DIV> <DIV>>  From: ilex cameron ross</DIV> <DIV>>  To: Pianotech</DIV> <DIV>>  Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2005 2:44 PM</DIV> <DIV>>  Subject: RE: Impact Tuning Lever</DIV> <DIV>></DIV> <DIV>></DIV> <DIV>>  Thanks for sharing, Terry - this is really good to h= ear. I'm only in my</DIV> <DIV>> early 30s and due to a combination of tuning and a really reall= y stupid</DIV> <DIV>> fall</DIV> <DIV>> a couple of years ago, I have pretty consistent problems with m= y tuning</DIV> <DIV>> wrist. Not to mention the weekly chiro visits for just general = back and</DIV> <DIV>> shoulder crap. Anymore I absolutely have to wear a wrist brace = when</DIV> <DIV>> tuning,</DIV> <DIV>> and I have been pondering the investment of an impact lever. I = also like</DIV> <DIV>> your idea of using pitch raises to get used to left-handed work= . I don't</DIV> <DIV>> really have the time to try and fine-tune with my left just yet= .</DIV> <DIV>>  Good news!</DIV> <DIV>>  -holly</DIV> <DIV>>    -----Original Message-----</DIV> <DIV>>    From: <A href="mailto:pianotech-bounce= s@ptg.org">pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</A> [<A href="mailto:pianotech-bou= nces@ptg.org">mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</A>]On</DIV> <DIV>> Behalf Of Terry</DIV> <DIV>>    Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2005 5:54 AM</= DIV> <DIV>>    To: <A href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org"= >pianotech@ptg.org</A></DIV> <DIV>>    Subject: Impact Tuning Lever</DIV> <DIV>></DIV> <DIV>></DIV> <DIV>>    A while ago I posted questions regarding= purchase of an impact tuning</DIV> <DIV>> lever. I've been using it for a few months now and just thought= I would</DIV> <DIV>> report in.</DIV> <DIV>></DIV> <DIV>>    For a couple years now I have been rastl= ing with some kind of</DIV> <DIV>> torn/strained muscle/tendon in my shoulder (thanks to a Boston = studio & a</DIV> <DIV>> 1098 on the same day) and tendonitis in the elbow - both in my = tuning arm.</DIV> <DIV>> It had gotten to the point where I had walked away from several= service</DIV> <DIV>> appointments because I knew tuning that piano would put me out = of work for</DIV> <DIV>> some weeks.</DIV> <DIV>></DIV> <DIV>>    I've been using the impact lever for pit= ch raises on all vertical</DIV> <DIV>> pianos</DIV> <DIV>> unless they have very low-torque tuning pins. I use my trusty</= DIV> <DIV>> Renner/Bowman</DIV> <DIV>> lever for tuning verticals and everything on grands. I pitch-ra= ised</DIV> <DIV>> Kimball</DIV> <DIV>> and Baldwin consoles yesterday - both were raised more than 100= cents -</DIV> <DIV>> they</DIV> <DIV>> both got two pitch-raise passes and then a tuning pass. Both th= ese pianos</DIV> <DIV>> had excessively tight tuning pins - easily around 200+ in-lbs. = I used the</DIV> <DIV>> impact lever for these four pitch-raise passes and I have no ar= m pain</DIV> <DIV>> today</DIV> <DIV>> at all. The impact lever seems to have saved me!</DIV> <DIV>></DIV> <DIV>>    I impact the bass with my left hand and = the rest of the scale with my</DIV> <DIV>> right - I'm trying to train myself to become ambidextrous with = the impact</DIV> <DIV>> lever - again, in case I wreck an arm at some point I could kee= p tuning. I</DIV> <DIV>> can see that it will take quite a bit of practice to become goo= d at fine</DIV> <DIV>> tuning with the impact lever, but I think using it for all vert= ical pitch</DIV> <DIV>> raises will eventually get me to the point where I can start at= tempting</DIV> <DIV>> using the impact lever for fine tuning - I would like to get to= the point</DIV> <DIV>> where I can use it for all vertical tuning.</DIV> <DIV>></DIV> <DIV>>    Bottom line: the impact lever has saved = my arm, avoided interruptions</DIV> <DIV>> in</DIV> <DIV>> income, and will likely extend my tuning career (unless soundbo= ard</DIV> <DIV>> manufacturing can save me from the spinet devils!). I am very h= appy I have</DIV> <DIV>> started using this great tool!</DIV> <DIV>></DIV> <DIV>>    Terry Farrell</DIV> <DIV>></DIV> <DIV>></DIV> <DIV>></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>_______________________________________________</DIV> <DIV>pianotech list info: <A href="http://www.ptg.org/mailman/listinfo/= pianotech">https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives</A></DIV></TD></= TR> <TR> <TD id=INCREDIFOOTER width="100%"> <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD width="100%"></TD> <TD id=INCREDISOUND vAlign=bottom align=middle></TD> <TD id=INCREDIANIM vAlign=bottom align=middle></TD></TR></TBODY></T= ABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></BODY></HTML>