Tuning Baldwin L

[Joel Rappaport]

I've continued to think about Bill Carmichael's situation with the
clicking strings.  Guess we've narrowed it down to the agraffe area and
I have two further thoughts on that.  First, in some cases I have
avoided having the string slip by the desired tension point with a click
by using tuning hammer technique.  Normally, if we want to bring the
tension up a little while tuning, I'll begin tuning the string by adding
tension.  However, when a string consistently "clicks" past where we
want it, I'll try (very slightly) lowering the tension first.  No, the
pitch doesn't drop a half step or anything; this is just so I can get a
"running start" at bringing the pitch up to where we want it.  Many
times, this avoids the click.  If it doesn't...

Let me reach over and get the can of worms that this may open up.

There may be a bend in the wire just by the agraffe, in the speaking
length.  If this is the case, the above technique will not work.  I
believe this bend may be caused by yanking the string up at the agraffe
as has been recommended at times to "seat the string" at the agraffe.
If this procedure has been used in the whole area around that note, even
clotheslining the string to get the bend away from the agraffe is not a
good solution.  You will either move the bend into the speaking length
or the bend from the next string will be moved into the speaking
length.  That is why I dislike kinking the strings in any direction near
the agraffe.  Damage is especially severe when a stringing hook is used
to make a discernable kink in the string.  I'm thinking this may be it
since the Baldwin grand's strings were loosened and removed from the
bridge, then had to be reinstalled, brought up to pitch and maybe the
strings were leveled (see Bill's description, below).

I do use a stringing hook to level strings, but start many
inches/centimeters away from the agraffe and, with upward pressure,
slide the hook toward the agraffe.  This, I hope, raises the string in
the agraffe hole, but does not put a kink in the string.

We think it is important to preserve the integrity of the materials with
which we are working.  Any comments??

Regards,

Joel Rappaport
Round Rock, Texas

Biul@aol.com wrote:
>
> The entire tick/click seems to come as the string breaks free ( I'm assuming
> this is at the agraff since I feel no resistance in the felt during continued
> manipulation of the pin, either raising or lowering the pitch.
>
> None of these pianos have extreemely tight tuning pins, although they are all
> very nicely firm with one exception.
>
> That piano had to have the plate removed (with string tension lowered) to
> reglue the soundboard to the rim because of a liquid spill sometime in it's
> history.
>
> Again, my main concern is to try and determine the best way to achieve a
> stable and lasting tuning. I am always tempted to simply jiggle the pins and
> let the piano "TUNE ITSELF".
>
> Bill Carmichael  RPT
> Memphis  TN