<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1458" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi Julia and David,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Same here over 30 years of tuning and = never a crack. Even when I took all of the screws out of a Wegman upright,  = that was to be taken to the dump, and wacked the plate with an eight pound = sledge on the struts first and then on the thin parts. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>If a piano is over 20 cents low it is = going to take two times through any way.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>And if over 100 cents three times at = least. My practice is to bring the piano up to pitch and then wait a month for a = good fine tuning.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Before the fine tuning all the strings = are seated to the bridge, this usually drops the pitch 10 to 15 cents. I am usually = doing the pitch raise with a SATlll and the Verituner listening for the final pass.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>That is for arround home here, and if = off in the boon docks, the fine tuning pass is also done, as a round trip of 200 = miles for one piano is not worth it.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>One other thing that helps to keep old = strings from breaking and my blue language in check, is to use a light oil on the = pressure bar and agraffes or upper bridge pins etc. I use a hipo oiler with a = very fine needle and a rag to mop up the excess.</FONT></DIV> <DIV>Joe Goss RPT<BR>Mother Goose Tools<BR><A href="mailto:imatunr@srvinet.com">imatunr@srvinet.com</A><BR><A href="http://www.mothergoosetools.com">www.mothergoosetools.com</A></DI= V> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=ilvey@sbcglobal.net = href="mailto:ilvey@sbcglobal.net">David Ilvedson</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, November 11, = 2004 10:08 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: A-440 and = Ethics.</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <P align=left>Julia,</P> <P align=left>Why don't we ask the List if anyone has had a plate = crack during a pitch raise.   I've been working on pianos for 30 years = and it has never happened to me.   </P> <P align=left>David I.</P> <P align=left><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT lang=0 = face=Arial size=2 PTSIZE="10" FAMILY="SANSSERIF"></FONT></FONT> </P> <P align=left><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT lang=0 = face=Arial size=2 PTSIZE="10" FAMILY="SANSSERIF">----- Original message ----------------------------------------><BR>From: <<A href="mailto:Alpha88x@aol.com">Alpha88x@aol.com</A>><BR>To: = <<A = href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A>><BR>Received: = Thu, 11 Nov 2004 11:18:18 EST<BR>Subject: Re: A-440 and = Ethics.</FONT></FONT></P> <P align=left><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT lang=0 = face=Arial size=2 PTSIZE="10" FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><BR>Greetings, = <BR><BR>          &nbsp= ; 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>         &nbsp= ;   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>         &nbsp= ;    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></P></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>