Strip Muting/unisons

[Billbrpt@AOL.COM]

In a message dated 2/3/00 2:26:26 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
gharvey@netsource.co.nz writes:

<<  I have used action cloth(also called sticker cloth) for mute strips for
 > years and find it wears and mutes well. Available in various widths &
 > thickness, I mostly use a medium thickness torn on a taper, one piece for
 > the tenor the other in the bass. I have a 3/8 strip for the treble. Covers
 > most verticals & grands that I service. Particularly valuable when tuning
 > players.
 
 
 
 Thanks Dale,
 
 I think you are referring to what we call Box cloth, a heavy duty variation
 of bushing cloth.  >>


I have used what Schaff Piano Supply sells as "Abstract or Sticker Cloth" for 
some 20 years.  The "Temperament Strip" felt that they sell for that purpose 
wears out in about a month.  The cloth lasts for 2-3 years and literally 
thousands of tunings.  The felt also has a tendency to bunch up and damp the 
string I want to hear.  The cloth is a bit stiff when new but breaks in 
fairly quickly and gives a remarkably long period of usefulness.

I use 3 strips. Two of them are about 2 1/2 feet long and untrimmed.  The 
other is about 3 1/2 feet long and has a tapered end of about 1 1/2 feet.  
That tapered end is for the middle section of a vertical.  In a vertical, I 
use only two of the strips.  In a grand, the longs strip's tapered end is 
used in the high treble.

Even though I tune up in whole steps.  I pull the strip out chromatically and 
descending while I tune the right hand string of each unison.  Then I tune 
the left hand string up and down in whole steps.  I find these other patterns 
that people use interesting, however.

To me, strip muting and the programs that I have stored in the SAT make it 
possible to tune 4-6 pianos a day and not get stressed out. Later this month, 
there is a day where I will have to tune 9 pianos at a school for solo and 
ensemble contests.  Each piano will be tuned twice, one rough tuning, one 
fine tuning and will end up at standard pitch.  I may well have to do other 
prep than tuning, too.  I'll make some very good money that day but it will 
certainly be at about the limit of what I can do and I wouldn't want to do 
that many every day.

Regards,

Bill Bremmer RPT
Madison, Wisconsin