The latter. - Mark -----Original Message----- From: Aart in America Piano Services [mailto:aartinamerica at optonline.net] Sent: Friday, May 12, 2006 5:20 PM To: Pianotech List Subject: Re: The pitch raise speech Hello All. Regarding overpull, are you referring to going sharp of pitch and then lowering, or going sharp and leaving it there anticipating string stretch for a second pass? Thanks, Aart On May 12, 2006, at 4:42 PM, Mark Dierauf wrote: > On reflection I believe that I encounter far more string breakage when > starting within -5 cents of pitch than I do from -50 cents or more, and > living in the northeast it is not uncommon for even better maintained > pianos to be flatter than 20 cents in the depth of winter. Plate > failure > has been virtually unknown to me since I started tuning almost 30 years > ago, and considering how many basement pianos I've tuned with highly > suspect or already failed glue joints in the backs I have concluded > that > virtually all plates are much stronger than necessary to support full > string tension at A-440. > > Look carefully for evidence of past string breakage (tied strings, > "borrowed" coils, as well as missing or obviously replaced strings), > and > DO protect yourself with warnings to owners of neglected instruments. > But having done that, pitch-raise away using overpull! If strings are > going to break I'd rather find out 5 minutes into a quick pitch-raise > than 45 minutes into a slow methodical one. > > Also be wary of spinets where the extreme angle of the wire between the > tuning pin and the bearing bar causes the wire to cross its own coil on > the bottom row of tuning pins. These are almost guaranteed to break > eventually. > > > - Mark Dierauf > > -----Original Message----- > From: Brian Doepke [mailto:doepkeb at comcast.net] > Sent: Friday, May 12, 2006 1:26 PM > To: 'Pianotech List' > Subject: RE: The pitch raise speech > > If the piano is more that 20 cents under, and the piano is older and > neglected, I explain that there is a higher chance of the strings > breaking > if I were to pull the string tension all the way back up to > standard/factory > tension. I do explain to them that, based on how far flat it is, it > may > take a few tunings to get the piano back to standard pitch. Most folks > say > that they understand and are embarrassed that the piano went so long > without > service. But, they are very happy after the tuning...even though it > may > not > be up to standard pitch..because it sounds so much better to them. > > Does that make sense? > > Brian P. Doepke > > AAA Piano Works, Inc. > 260-432-2043 > 260-417-1298 > > > -----Original Message----- > From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On > Behalf > Of Michelle Smith > Sent: Friday, May 12, 2006 12:36 PM > To: Pianotech List > Subject: The pitch raise speech > > As a new tuner, I have read with much interest the non-emotional > speech given to customers concerning the possible outcomes of a pitch > raise. (Plate failure, string breakage, etc.) > > Is there a certain point (cents-wise) that you give this speech or is > it based more on the condition/age of the instrument? > > Also, I'm assuming the customer's answer is usually in favor of the > pitch raise. What do you do when they don't want to risk it? Go > home or tune the piano to itself? > > Thanks for sharing your experiences. > > Michelle Smith > Student Tuner > Bastrop, Texas > > > > > > >
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