<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" =
http-equiv=Content-Type>
<META content="MSHTML 5.00.3207.2500" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT size=2> I used to help out at a small =
music store
in California, and I was always given the job of tuning Autoharps. =
Usually they
are in the 1/2 step flat range by the time you see them. When you tune =
them to
pitch, they will drop right back down, which means you have to tune them =
2 or 3
times. I had a Hale Electro-fork which worked great for this, as it gave =
me an
audio source. Trying to pick up the sound on a SAT was sometimes =
problematic. If
you use the SAT, it would probably be easiest if you have one of the =
external
speakers which you give you a tone.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2> I found it was best if you first =
tune an
octave in the center of the harp, and then tune the octaves aurally out =
from
there. Trying to tune everything to the machine just takes too much =
time, and is
quicker by ear. If strings break, which they sometimes do, they can be =
replaced
with Guitar strings in a pinch.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2> You can also tune the center =
octave to the
piano, but if it's a spinet, the piano is going to have alot of stretch. =
Probably won't matter too much though. It's realistically going to take =
about 20
minutes or so. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2> Let me know how it turned out =
after you did
it. Good Luck.</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: =
0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>
<A href="mailto:DGPEAKE@AOL.COM" =
title=DGPEAKE@AOL.COM>DGPEAKE@AOL.COM</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org"
title=pianotech@ptg.org>pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, December 06, =
2000 9:49
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Tuning an =
Autoharp</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT size=2>Dear =
Friends and
Collegues, <BR><BR>This Friday I am tuning one of my regular clients =
piano.
Today she called and <BR>asked if I could also tune her autoharp which =
is 1/2
step flat. I have never <BR>tuned one so I am asking for some advice =
assuming
some of you (Wim?) have <BR>done this before. She has the tool for it. =
<BR><BR>1. I would guess it would need a pitch raise. How much =
harmonic
stretch is <BR>involved if any? <BR><BR>2. Using my SAT 3 should I =
perform an
FAC stretch or keep it at zero cents <BR>and tune? <BR><BR>3. How long =
should
it take? <BR><BR>4. Should I attempt the job at all? If so, any other =
hints
you can pass along? <BR><BR>I am not an autoharp technician (AT) and =
do not
belong to the Autoharp <BR>Technicians Guild (ATG-if there is such an
organization). Your professional <BR>advice will be greatly =
appreciated.
<BR><BR>Dave Peake, RPT <BR>Portland Chapter <BR>Oregon City, OR
<BR>www.davespianoworks.locality.com</FONT> =
</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>