My 3rd Piano waiting to be tuned...:

Talking to a friend about some Guitar strings I've got for sale the subject got around to my efforts to tune pianos and my Correspondence Course. My friend said he was summoned to help a Farmer from North of town to tune a Piano that was given to the Civic Center by some folks having to move to Portland. The piano had been a "plant stand" for many years and the last tuning it had had was in 1944.

The Farmer had all the tools, a tuning hammer, and several "Q tips" to mute the strings. (his words). He also had a Guitar tuner to make the job easier.

My friend said they started down on the bass strings and progressed up the scale breaking several strings as they went! The piano was tuned after just one pass and the broken strings were just spares as the notes affected had other strings there to maintain the note.

The next day the piano was to be used in some kind of ceremony and played by one of the Churches piano players. My friend said the piano player kept cringing on certain cords/notes as she played along. The piano player stated to my friend that this piano needs further tuning.

My friend said that I'd be welcome to come and tune it when I had the time... (grin)

I've got to be more careful on who I choose to become friends with!

This will be a challenge to be sure! :rolleyes:

Scooter

Sounds like quite the nightmare you've got there. O.O

I'd brush up on my string tying for the broken bass strings and be sure to bring new wire for the treble ones. I'm also pretty sure that it hasn't been regulated since 1944.

Let me guess, they probably said that it "only needs a tuning". Whatever!

Correspondence course? I took one, and it was probably the worst money I spent when I first got into tuning. My tuning wedge is worth more than the certificate I got for it.

Hello Matthew,
I think I'll wait until I get through with more of my R. Potter course. I haven't gotten into the stringing part yet. I've got a lot to learn and this one may be more than I can handle in the beginning. I was going to drop by the C center and take a look, count the broken strings etc. Also mic the strings and see if the piano is even worth the bother. The folks that owned it as a plant stand were quite musical and I'm sure if the piano had been worth it, they would have done something to keep it up.
I like challenges though!
Thanks for the comments.

Scooter

“Correspondence course? I took one, and it was probably the worst money I spent when I first got into tuning. My tuning wedge is worth more than the certificate I got for it.”
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Everyone learns in a different way. Some who take a correspondence course benefit because this is how they learn best. There are many very good correspondence courses on a variety of subjects, worth taking.

Certificates are worthless. What is of value of course is what you have learned in gaining that certificate. Sometimes when you have obtained the certificate, you find the information learned is of not much value for the rest of your career.

Dan Silverwood
www.silverwoodpianos.com

I know what you are dealing with,Scooter.I've sent letters to the local churches and advised several piano lesson teachers,and their clients, of my intentions-asking to practice tuning on their pianos,free of charge.

Most of the calls I've received were people who bought a piano on Craigslist,Ebay,or received one as a gift or for free,and they all needed a pitch raise.2 of them had rusty strings,which one broke,and one I did this weekend had very rusty strings,which none of them broke.

I've reached the point of ready to start the business,and I am no longer offering free tunings.

I guess it's just a real good Idea to Look over the piano First (the pre inspection checkout) before doing any work on the instrument.

Good luck in the biz,

Scooter

There have been several threads concerning a broken plate.It is rare but it's not a bad idea to look at it bfore starting any tuning.

Hi Dave,

I will do. Thanks,

Scooter

David: it is customary to hit the space bar after a period or a comma. Makes your posts a lot easier to read!

Let me work on that space after punctuation. I am still practicing what I've learned in English.