Tuning old Chickerings

[jpage@capecod.net]

>Vince Mrykalo asks how I know that the following statement that I made is true:
>> 3) But most of all, and on all pianos, I will use a smooth hammer technique.
>> Switching from the jerk such as I was taught in the Randy Potter course, to a
>> smooth technique advocated to me by the late Danny Boone of Baylor Univ.,
has cut down on broken strings by possibly %60 to %70.
>I have simply observed it.  There has been a definite reduction in the
number of
>broken strings since I switched to a smooth technique.  The test sampling (all
>of my tunings) is large enough to point to a trend.  It makes sense, too - If
>you yank on something it will be more likely to break than if you use finesse.
>As Danny Boone said "There's the smoothies, such as myself - and then there's
>the jerks".
>
Words of wisdom from my mentor, Frank Kast of the Northern Virginia Chapter,

        Always let the string down first, this is to ease the rust deposit
at the
agraffe/pressure point. Otherwise, the extra tension built up on the tuning
pin side needed to get the string moving may break the wire.
90% of my string breakage is when I forget this.
        Let the string down enough to hear it release (not
radically-*ping*),  then pull smoothly with constant pressure. (Protek on
these points will last for years)

  * *  Jerking  -  is best confined to  *taps*  to ease torque.  *  *

        This is just one part of hammer technique which I apply to each tuning.

Jon Page
Jon Page
Cape Cod. Mass
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