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

pianolover 88 pianolover88@hotmail.com
Wed, 21 Dec 2005 09:27:00 -0800


Also let's not forget to take into consideration the overall structural 
state and/or quality of the piano, as well as the humididty levels, where 
the piano is situated in the home or wherever, such as near heating/ac, 
window, outside door, etc.

Terry Peterson


----Original Message Follows----
From: Andrew and Rebeca  Anderson <anrebe@sbcglobal.net>
Reply-To: Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org>
To: tune4u@earthlink.net, Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org>
Subject: Re: Let's Get This Settled was How to explain a pitch  
adjustment..and!
Date: Wed, 21 Dec 2005 10:55:10 -0600

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
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives


_______________________________________________
pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives



This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC