Whammy bar/Baldwin vs. the tuner

[David Andersen]

>  It takes me almost twice as long to tune this piano, because the unisons
>just won't stay. Today I tried a technique of just pounding the hell out of
>it the whole time, and not moving on until I was sure it was stable. I wear
>earplugs and a key pounder, and still it was a very unpleasant experience. I
>find the no friction capo/aggrafe thing harder to tune than the high
>friction ones, at least when there are tight pins involved. Like the
>Steinway uprights. I love my work, but somedays.......

Please, God, protect me and save me from Baldwin pianos.....thankfully i 
only have a handful that i maintain; just got rid of one---a nasty 
15-year-old concert grand--- when the lady turned it in for a new 
C7(aaahhhhh); other ones are older and in various states of 
entropy.....they're not that popular here in 
SoCal....or maybe God really HAS protected me from them......what i can't 
understand is how Marian McPartland's pair of Baldwin concert grands on 
her radio show sound so phenomenally good....she must have a witch for a 
piano technician.....

Speaking of tuning pin feel:  I'm now tuning quite a few new 
Boesendorfers as a result of preparing high-end pianos for a store, and 
them things got a greasy feel to 'em....easy to tune, but no satisfying
"click" when the pin moves....but that said, incredibly well-made and 
beautifully balanced instruments--not a Steinway---my favorite 
tonally----but monsters in their own right.....

You can bitch and moan a little; it's OK with me.......

David A.