Pianotech

  • 1.  request to tune a homemade piano

    Posted 09-23-2020 16:23
    I have a customer who has asked me to tune two pianos in her home, one of which is a homemade piano. Made by her grandfather. It appears to have a single string for each key. My question is, How would you approach tuning this piano?  I have an accu-tuner.



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    Gary Howell
    Buckeye Piano Tuning
    Massillon OH
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  • 2.  RE: request to tune a homemade piano

    Posted 09-23-2020 16:52
    That homemade piano is really "cool"!

    One would tune it straight just as one would a harp . . . or a harpsichord . . . or a one string per note piano.

    It's only three octaves so tune the middle octave with your accutuner and tuning the two octaves on either side by ear to the central octave isn't going to present any problem at all. In fact I'd do that in less than 15 minutes, probably 10 or even less as it's only 37 strings.

    As it's only three octaves and one string per note and can be retuned easily, just try tuning using Kellner temperament. It's the ideal instrument to try such things on. Be adventurous!

    A few weeks ago I tuned a Grand version of the instrument - https://www.facebook.com/155672807789261/photos/its-called-a-hammer-spinet-and-only-has-60-keys-and-60-strings-compared-to-88-ke/515458091810729/ and it wasn't more than 15 minutes at the outside.

    Best wishes and have fun!

    David P
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    David Pinnegar, B.Sc., A.R.C.S.
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    +44 1342 850594





  • 3.  RE: request to tune a homemade piano

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 09-23-2020 22:47
    Was the grandfather a piano technician? In some training programs (including Germany and possibly France and UK), making a small piano is part of the program, a project that demonstrates you know what you are doing.

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    Fred Sturm
    University of New Mexico
    fssturm@unm.edu
    http://fredsturm.net
    http://www.artoftuning.com
    "We either make ourselves happy or miserable. The amount of work is the same." - Carlos Casteneda
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