Let's Get This Settled was How to explain a pitch adjustment..and!

[Andrew and Rebeca Anderson]

Alan,
I received a brand-new baby grand on my floor here that was all over 
the place when I got it.  Around the treble break it took 14 tunings 
in one month to get it stable.  The seesawing was nearly 10 cents at 
first.  There is the climate thing, but I think there was something 
going on with the new (cheap) sound-board too.  Older pianos that 
have been under tension for some time are probably much less Squirrely.

The other piano from this maker came some 25+ cents high and took 
several pitch reduction passes to stabilize but has been very stable 
since.  Kind of debunks that detune to ship myth doesn't it. ;-)

Andrew Anderson

At 10:24 PM 12/20/2005, you wrote:
>Terry's post begs the question (and please understand I ain't challingin'
>nobody on nuttin' ... I'm just seeking information and opinions and
>science, here) ...
>
>Do a piano really need time to "settle" after ..
>
>1. Big pitch change?
>2. Small pitch change?
>3. Moving it across country? (other than environmental acclimation)
>4  Moving it across the room?
>
>I have been under the impression--and it may be altogether wacky--that
>every change that is going to occur in the piano occurs immediatly upon
>cranking the pin. I thought someone (Dr. Sanderson, perhaps) tested this
>and proved it.
>
>So an adjunct question: Let's say we find a piano 15 cents flat. We pitch
>correct and fine tune and walk out the door with a follow-up appointment
>set for three months. When that day arrives, for those who have set such
>appointments, is the piano any flatter or more sour than it would have been
>if we found it A440 but still came back in three months?
>
>Same question, only now the piano was originally 35 cents flat. 60 cents?
>120 cents?
>
>Certainly I've restrung pianos and found them pretty sick in a couple of
>months but have always attributed that to new wire stretch, not tension
>settling.
>
>Helmet on, raincoat on, rubber duckie in hand, I await your missives, if
>not missiles ...
>
>Alan Barnard
>Salem, Missouri
>
>
> > [Original Message]
> > From: pianolover 88 <pianolover88@hotmail.com>
> > To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> > Date: 12/20/2005 6:24:24 PM
> > Subject: Re: How to explain a pitch adjustment..and!
> >
> > Depending on the amount of PR, ususally more than 12C, I always schedule
>a
> > "follow-up" tuning in 1-3 months, explaining that after restoring all
>that
> > loststring tension, the piano now must "settle" and adjust to that added
> > tension, and it some shifting of will occur. So the follow-up is crucial
>in
> > building long term stabilty. And that tuning will leave the piano much
>more
> > stable because tuning pin movement will be much smaller than during the
> > initial PR and tuning. Again, never a problem. Yes, it does help to have
>a
> > high confidence level and be able to effectively communicate and impart
> > information to your client in a clearand concice manner. I am a salesman
>as
> > well as a technician; that has made the difference between just getting
>by
> > to making a six figures.
> >
> > Terry Peterson
>
>
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