Can't tune a thing

[Les Smith]

Leslie. A couple of suggestions: Corroded strings hanging up on the
bridges, or at the pressure bar. Strings not seated on the bridges.
Loose bridge pins. Plate not fastened down securely. Also check SB
and ribs. Also, maybe that custodian is beating the stuffings out of
the piano the moment you walk out the door!

Les Smith
lessmith@buffnet.net

On Thu, 13 Mar 1997, Leslie W Bartlett wrote:

> Today I went to a school to tune a new piano and inquired about an older
> one which the teacher said went out of tune shortly after I tuned it. She
> said it had gone out quickly the time before, so I had spent a long time
> setting strings, etc.  , I went over the piano again today , finding a
> lot of stuff sort-of out, but not far. Was about to leave and "Pa-paw"
> the custodian caught me. This guy is kinda dumb- like a fox ,in his
> seventies, and plays an absolutely wicked Blues piano.  He said he'd go
> back with me to that piano.  A Baldwin console, school-type.  Notes I had
> "cleaned up" fifteen minutes ago were now half a beat off.  We spent
> nearly an hour on about five notes, tuning them until both of us agreed,
> "That's absolutely right." Ten minutes later there would be a slight
> wobble. The tone, too bright by far, was aided when I filed a few hammers
> just to see what would happen.  But stability in the tuning was
> impossible to achieve. Any help with this one?
>
> Leslie Bartlett M. Mus
> Houston Chapter PTG
> lesbart@juno.com
>