Foot switch corral

[Warren Fisher]

chance wrote:
>
> >
> >Dear List,
> >
> >Anybody who has ever used a SAT foot switch knows what a pain it is to
> >keep it under your foot while you're tuning from one end of the piano to
> >the other!  A couple of years ago, I corraled the pesky critter by
> >cutting off the top half of an old sock, then placing the switch in the
> >toe of the lower half and pulling the sock (& switch) over the toe of my
> >shoe so that the switch is located under my foot in the correct position
> >for use.  Then I put my foot on the floor and rock it forward on to the
> >switch whenever I want to change notes. Needless to say the switch never
> >gets away and better yet, since I coil my cord around three fingers
> >instead of the switch itself, and place the coil in the sock for
> >storage, I have not broken any footswitch wires or plugs since I started
> >this.  FYI
> >
> >Warren
>
> The foot switch works fine when you are sitting like when you tune a
> grand or a small console piano.  But I always found that using it while
> you are standing up indulges you to stand most of the time on one foot.
> Sure way I think to develop a deviation in the spinal cord as "time goes
> by".

You're right. I don't use it while standing. But, I've had lower back
problems long before I started using a SAT.  Just standing causes me
problems so I do as little of it as I can get by with.  I carry in a bar
stool to sit on while tuning 60" uprights and a boat cushion to make me
sit higher on the piano bench.  So I use the foot more than most people,
I guess.
>
> I have taken an idea of Marcel Carey and made my own switch.  I put it in
> my left hand index and use my thumb to push down the button.  In this
> way, the cord does not interfere with the tuning lever and most of all,
> you always know exactly where switch is.  You also gain up in speed as
> the time reaction of the thumb is much faster than the foot.
>
> MIchel Lachance, RPT

I had cobbled together something like this from the parts of the
original note switch that came with my first SAT, but it never did work
well because the plugs I could get locally from Radio Shack did not fit
the socket of the switch.  It would plug in OK, but would not make
connection (too short or long). Shortly after that the switch went belly
up and I never got another.  Where did you get the parts for it?

Thanks for the help

Warren
--
Warren D. Fisher
fish@communique.net
Registered Piano Technician
Piano Technicians Guild
New Orleans Chapter 701