[CAUT] chipping, was Re: pre-stretching new string?

[Paul T Williams]

You're right on pitch changing.  I usually have to do the first couple of 
tunings as a two steps forward, one step back, meaning that the 
temperament gets 7-8 times through by the time I get through all of it. 
Maybe this is the long way to do it, but it works for me.  When I chip 
tune, I like to start in the middle, then chip octaves one up, one down, 
two up, two down, etc in a sort of temperament order, constantly going 
back to my first notes to see how they are reacting. My thinking is that I 
am spreading the new tension across the whole piano perhaps a bit more 
evenly.  I, too would like to hear other techniques....

Thanks 

Paul




Wimblees at aol.com 
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06/06/2007 08:16 AM
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[CAUT] chipping, was Re:  pre-stretching new string?






In a message dated 6/6/07 8:02:22 A.M. Central Daylight Time, 
pwilliams4 at unlnotes.unl.edu writes:
I agree Wim, 

That is exactly the same method I use.  When restringing a whole piano, 
however, I only tune sharp by 30-35 cents for three to four tunings, then 
tune at 440, then re-settle the strngs with tapping at bridges, re 
squeezing beckets, tightening coils, releveling, if needed, then tune 
again perhaps slightly above 440.  If it is the humid time of year, I'll 
just tune at 440 as nature will pull it sharp for a few months.  Then, 
it's pretty stable after that. 

Best, 

Paul 

 
I want to add that when stringing, I also do all of the above, (tapping, 
tightening, etc.) I just assumed everyone does those things, and that it 
is nothing "different". Also, when I chip, the first note is a semi tone 
sharp. As I said, by the time I get done chipping the piano, and probably 
when I'm about a third of the way through, the pitch of that note has 
probably dropped to about even, or even lower than the pitch. 
 
BTW, here is my chipping technique. I wonder if this is how others do it. 
 
I chip the left string of the first note at the break. (I get my pitch 
from another piano. When I was in St. Louis, for a while I had my shop by 
my house, and often didn't have another piano to get a pitch from. So I 
would go in the house, and play the note I needed, and then hummed it 
while walking back to the shop. I guess if anyone would have seen and 
heard me, they probably though I was crazy. ((No comments please))) 
 
I "play" a major scale all the way to c8. (I do this aurally). I then go 
up a half a step, and again chip only the left string. Of course the 3rd 
and 7th notes are already in tune, so that more or less gives me a guide. 
When I get done with the right strings, I tune the left strings, but 
chipping every note. I then chip the bass section. Finally I go back and 
chip tune the middle strings. I believe this evens out the tension as much 
as possible. 
 
Comments??
 
Wim 



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