>> Hi. You might run into one of these, and also want to know the answer. >> The piano is a Steinway B and has a little metal plate on the plate that >> says hexigrip pinblock and Diaphragmatic soundboard. I tuned one of these >> today and it is a difficult one to tune. Would you mind getting a >> question out to PTG.org and ask the brains that be out there if there is >> something unusual about this hexigrip pinblock . I don't like it because >> the pins jump. This is a brand new piano, and I am wondering if they are >> using tuning pins like Yamaha used for awhile that had little teeth or >> barbs on them that allow the pin to turn clockwise, but fight the counter >> clockwise direction. This is a very fussy customer whos son plays with >> the philharmonic. If you can find out anything, would you let me know? >> Sandi Cooper "Hexigrip" just means that the pinblock laminations are set at 60° angle increments to distribute the side/end grain around the pins more uniformly. It's a good pinblock. That's not the problem. Cut thread ( "little teeth" ) tuning pins don't make for a snappy fit. They minimize the problem. Yamaha and everyone else still uses them because they produce better results. Repeat "cut threads are good" until you begin to believe it. I don't know what Steinway is currently using for tuning pins, so anything is possible here. If there is any contamination on the pins, or in the block when the pins are driven in, or the block was drilled with too small a diameter hole, you can get snappy pins. When pins are pressed against the plate hole by string tension, as in Steinway and Baldwin, they tend to be jumpier too. Did you notice how many of the jumpy pins were riding the plate? All in all, it's probably nothing you can fix without repinning (etc.). Ron N
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