Pianotech

I worked on a Wurlitzer spinet with key end forks and wire stickers earlier this week. Amazingly it had no visible rust on the coils, steel wire, tuning pins something rare in  our humid climate. A few slow hammers but most of the piano was not wild . I measured A4 on my SAT III and could not get the lights to stop until the display read 198 cents flat on the middle string. I tried this several times and got the same result. I put the mute between the middle and left string measured the right which was 100 cents flat ; put wedge mute between middle and right and the left string was 100 cents flat . with the mutes out the unison was not wild so what is the reason the unison is fairly clean ? are the vibrations all blending together 

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James Kelly
Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
Pawleys Island SC
(843) 325-4357
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Maybe your battery is low.

Peter Grey Piano Doctor 

P.S. I'm not sure whether this is a quiz or an actual question. 

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Peter Grey
Stratham NH
(603) 686-2395
pianodoctor57@gmail.com
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Did you check the mating of the string to the hammer?  Sometimes the hammer crown is chewed up, or the shank is wobbling and you don't get a good strike.  If the middle string is not being struck with the same force, it might not be as loud as the other ones, which might mask its pitch.   Would have been helpful if you had made a recording.  How did the tuning turn out?

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Paul McCloud, RPT
Accutone Piano Service
www.AccutonePianoService.com
pavadasa@gmail.com
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The tuning went well .I charged up the Accutuner since it only had a 25% charge when checked. I have an Accutuner IV which I did not have with me. The hammer mating could be part of the problem and perhaps the low level sound of an air conditioner was getting picked up. I always shut off ceiling fans and room fans that seem t cause issues . I will be returning to the piano next week to repair some other issues 

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James Kelly
Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
Pawleys Island SC
(843) 325-4357
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Original Message:
Sent: 06-27-2025 10:23
From: Paul McCloud
Subject: Why does this unison sound clean ?

Did you check the mating of the string to the hammer?  Sometimes the hammer crown is chewed up, or the shank is wobbling and you don't get a good strike.  If the middle string is not being struck with the same force, it might not be as loud as the other ones, which might mask its pitch.   Would have been helpful if you had made a recording.  How did the tuning turn out?

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Paul McCloud, RPT
Accutone Piano Service
www.AccutonePianoService.com
pavadasa@gmail.com
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I have witnessed a similar phenomenon. One string of the unison was a half step away (I don’t recall sharp or flat,) but when sounded together, the unison was clean. It was either a Steinway or Yamaha smaller grand.


Joe Wiencek
NYC


Original Message:
Sent: 6/27/2025 2:13:00 PM
From: James Kelly
Subject: RE: Why does this unison sound clean ?

The tuning went well .I charged up the Accutuner since it only had a 25% charge when checked. I have an Accutuner IV which I did not have with me. The hammer mating could be part of the problem and perhaps the low level sound of an air conditioner was getting picked up. I always shut off ceiling fans and room fans that seem t cause issues . I will be returning to the piano next week to repair some other issues 

------------------------------
James Kelly
Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
Pawleys Island SC
(843) 325-4357
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