Steinway console tuning

[Jay Mercier]

List, I appreciate all the feedback.  The only RPT in my area who just 
retired was "outstanding;" now I have to pick up some customers who have 
certain expectations of what a tuner should be - most noteable on tuning 
time.

On this Steinway console, it took him " an hour and a half " and took me two 
and a half because he left the thing 60 cents flat.  As I did my pitch 
raising duty, I began to wonder an hour and a half into the tuning (my 
normal time) if this was a special piano that required a special 
technician... And to explain why it took so long to the customer.  
Ahhhhhhhhhhhh.

Thanks again for the input!

Jay Mercier

>From: "Brian Trout" <btrout@desupernet.net>
>Reply-To: pianotech@ptg.org
>To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
>Subject: Re: Steinway console tuning
>Date: Wed, 10 May 2000 00:02:59 -0400
>
>Hi Jay,
>
>I see you've discovered the dreaded Steinway vertical.  They're not so easy
>to tune well, but they can be tuned.
>
>A couple of things that have helped me...
>
>1) Don't be in a hurry.  It only compounds the frustration levels when you
>haven't enough time to do the job to your own satisfaction.  I will
>routinely schedule an extra half hour or so when I know I have to tune a
>1098.
>
>2)  Psychologically and emotionally prepare yourself for a difficult 
>tuning.
>If you know that you'll have a challenging time with the tuning ahead of
>time, you can have your head in order to proceed without the emotional
>baggage that comes from expecting an easy job and having a hard one placed
>before you.
>
>3) ...this one might be controversial...  I have found that using an
>electronic tuner can help a bit.  The top two sections of these pianos are
>typically the most difficult to get the pins set.  The 'machines' have a
>very sensitive ear.  When you have a note tuned to where you think it 
>should
>go, a very few test blows and watching whatever indicator your machine has
>will very quickly tell you whether or not that pin is set and tension 
>fairly
>well equalized.  The machine will hear it much more quickly than your ear 
>if
>the pitch is starting to drift.
>
>(Sidenote:  My laptop and the associated tuning programs are a tool.  They
>are a wonderful servant, but a horrible master.)
>
>4)  Don't sweat the idea that the customer might see you taking a little
>longer to tune their piano than the last guy.  Everybody has their own
>tuning style, and some are faster than others.  Different pianos are
>different.  Some tune very easily, and some don't.  I don't make any 
>apology
>for being a little slow, especially for one of those 1098s.
>
>You've gotten several suggestions about how to use your tuning hammer i.e.
>positions and handling techniques. I've seen suggestions to use a bit of
>Protec on the upper bearing points as well in other threads.  Some have
>found that to be helpful with string rendering.  Hopefully you'll find the
>suggestions to be of use.  But hang in there.  Although I never actually
>recommend anyone buy one of these pianos, there are those who do end up
>owning them.  Many times, they are people who do care about their pianos 
>and
>intend to have them serviced.  If you intend to offer your services to 
>these
>people, it's up to you to make the best you can out of the situation, and
>see if you can actually become a better tuner, maybe even a better person
>for meeting the 1098 and experiencing victory in a job well done.  Much of
>the way we see our world is in our own attitude and the decisions we make,
>in how we react to those things around us, good or bad.
>
>So much for the pep talk.
>
>Have a good one.
>
>Brian Trout
>Quarryville, PA
>btrout@desupernet.net
>
>

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