Birdcage pitch raise

[Farrell]

The only thing you can do is inform the piano owner of the piano's potential 
in its present condition and how it will (or won't) fulfill a budding 
pianists needs. Sounds like you did that. After that, you do the work, 
notifying the owner of no guarantees on bandaid tasks, and collect the 
check. If you cashed the check before it plummeted 70 cents flat, I'd say 
you did good!

I don't understand your point about English cheapo piano pinblock "design". 
Is it the fact that the upper speaking length termination is a bridge pin 
set in a wooden termination bar? If so, I would say that it is not a cheapo 
design. It is how many did that termination for many, many decades. I 
suppose it became a less-favored design as string scale tensions increased, 
but it is not an inherently "bad" design. Certainly on a modern piano the 
design would often see structural failure. But on Beethoven's pianos, it 
likely would have held up pretty well.

Yes?

Terry Farrell


----- Original Message ----- 
> Another fine example of English cheapo piano pinblock "design".
>
> I first tuned this something over a year ago. It had been bought for the
> couple's child by Grandad, and was 400 cents low, yes a major third.  At
> that pitch, it really was unplayable, sounding glassy and dreadful. I
> siuggested to the couple that if we were going to raise the pitch, it 
> might
> as well be to A440, as at least two tunings would be involved anyway.  I
> raised it to A440 and it seemed OK.  Last week they had me back.  It had
> sunk, very evenly, to 70 cents flat, where, I suggested, we should just 
> keep
> it. I tuned it at that pitch and it's OK.  The funny thing is, the action 
> is
> quite nice and even, except for some hammer bounce caused by very worn
> balance hammer leather.  We agreed that if the kid sticks at piano for
> another six months or a year, then it will be time to get him something
> better.
>
> But in the first instance, what would you have done folks? Refused to tune
> the old thing and tell them to get another?  I did weigh up that option.
> But in the end, it came up to pitch with  nothing drastic happening, and
> they've had over a year's learning out of it.
>
> Regards,
>
> David.
>