[pianotech] tuning grands left handed

[Paul McCloud]

Hi, Jim:
I like to keep the lever in the same line as the string.  Helps reduce the flagpoling, which affects pitch.  It's too hard to determine where to leave the pin if you've got pin bending and residual tension going on.  Especially in the agraffe section.  I use a 1:30 position in the treble section, which seems to work ok with the higher friction in the capo area.  Using a 3:00 position will give you the maximum flagpoling effect.  Hard to get a stable tuning, at least for me.  
I'm a lefty, but I tune right handed.  Feels more natural to me.  
My $.02
Paul McCloud
San Diego

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Ialeggio" <jim at grandpianosolutions.com>
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2013 6:13:31 AM
Subject: [pianotech] tuning grands left handed

Hey Will and whomevers,

I gave my left hand another shot the other day on a nice grand.  Now I 
remember another reason why I abandoned it... lever at 10:00 oclock on a 
grand, drop pitch, then smooth push to target works very nice, but then 
as the pin eases itself back from the push, it pulls the speaking length 
a bit sharp. I remember now, I was having trouble countering this 
sharpen-ing tendency. It lead me to abandon my dominant hand on grands.

Any thoughts.

My preferred right handed position is 2 or 3 oclock (grand). To be fair, 
in this position the apparent pitch often rises (sometimes 
significantly) over the target, but I have a clear feel where the pin 
foot is in relation to that overshoot, and how much the pitch will come 
back (at least a fair amount of the time). So either righty or lefty 
there is an "interpretation" of where things stand when the lever is 
released.  But lefty, I find that "interpation" zone much harder to read.

I bet this has more to do with my limited muscle strength than anything 
else. Pulling righty from the 2-3 oclock position is quite easy to do 
physically, which leaves adequate strength to control and relax as 
things get close. Lefty, even being the dominant side, with the push 
against the front of the hole, the strength and endurance required may 
just be be beyond my my physical limits, leaving no room to relax and 
smell the daisies at the critical moment. But even so, I'm curious what 
you get in the way of feedback from the front segment and distal pin 
deflection in that slow lefty CW push.

....Curious and ready to continue experimenting...

Jim Ialeggio

-- 
Jim Ialeggio	
jim at grandpianosolutions.com
978 425-9026
Shirley Center, MA