[CAUT] Thank you for Stability advice

[Ed Sutton]

This is one of those places where words are just too weaselly.

What do you mean by "seating." How many grams or pounds of pressure does it take to push a lifted string into contact with the bridge top?

Does it take tapping at all, or will a push with a hammer shank do the job? 

How do you make sure you aren't denting the bridge cap, and ultimately making contact even more difficult to achieve?

Maybe use a soft wood stick that is softer than the bridge cap?

Or are you pushing, pulling or tapping on the speaking length in front of the pin? How far in front for which notes? How hard do you pull, tap or push?

Give unambiguous answers to these questions, and we will begin to know what we are talking about!

Ed Sutton
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Dr. Henry Nicolaides 
  To: College and University Technicians 
  Sent: Monday, February 08, 2010 12:08 AM
  Subject: Re: [CAUT] Thank you for Stability advice


  Ok, so now I am a bit confused.  Hopefully the strings do not need/require seating.  But, if they do...well why not?  I have mixed adivce/opinions but in my limited 40 year experience(s) most of the time there is an audible improvement as well as improving stability.  I am under the impression that one can over do the seating process and certainly the overall bearing is a consideration.  We have a new Baldwin SF (about 5years new) that had similar issues and notable almost zero bearing.  You could almost see the bridge under the strings as they crossed the bridge.  And the professor remarked "what did you do...it sounds so much better".   The tuning frequency has also decreased.   Any similar experiences, comments, or opinions.

  Henry Nicolaides
  Piano Technician, School of Music
  Southern Illinois University
  Carbondale, Illinois

  > From: dianepianotuner at msn.com
  > To: caut at ptg.org
  > Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 15:01:42 -0800
  > Subject: [CAUT] Thank you for Stability advice
  > 
  > 
  > Thank you all for your excellent suggestions for achieving stability on the new Kawai UST-9's!
  > 
  > I am particularly fascinated with the idea of doing all the pitch raises first, then coming back to tune and doing all the tunings. This is a good way of using my body efficiently, as the needs of the tuning and the pitch raise are different. Also, the timing couldn’t be better for this approach (you must all be musicians!), because next weekend is a four day weekend with no classes so I will have excellent access.
  > 
  > I am also grateful for the advice to not tap the strings on the bridge—I didn’t want to do that, but was grasping at straws, trying to find a way to get those pianos sounding good.
  > 
  > For all of you, who are worrying about my personal welfare, ThankYou. Financially I’m doing ok on this job. After 32 years of tuning, I have finally found a GREAT College to work for. They have high priorities for quality and I believe my competitive bid was the highest. I also believe I have a colleague to thank for a great recommendation, as well as a year and a half tuning their Boesendorfer Imperial in the new music center as evidence I can tune.
  > 
  > Yesterday the security guard told me, that if the debate team tries to get back into the room, I should simply tell them to go to another building and find a room—the piano tuning is too important!
  > 
  > Diane Hofstetter
  > 
  > 
  > 
  > 


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