Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Tuner-Technicians Forum Tuning Pin Gripping

hi, i tuned my piano and there is only one tuning pin that i can't grip with my tuning hammer, it's wrecked or something, it is the same size as all the others aparently, i could tune it up a bit some days ago but i can't at all now, it doesn't grip to my not-professional tuning hammer.

any help? how could i make it grip.

thx

If the pin is stripped, that is, the corners are worn off, you need to replace it. There are tuning pin extractors that will remove a stripped pin, or you could use pliers.

If it is thinner than the other pins, you need a lower-numbered tip. Most pins can be tuned with a #2 tip, but some require a #1.

It is probable that your tuning hammer is not properly made and it is chewing up the tuning pins. Or someone tried using a socket wrench or locking plier to tune. Both these things usually ruin the tuning pin for proper fit to the correct hammer.

The hAmmer works perfectly on the other 200 pins. I was looking for a home-made fix to not having to call a pian technician.

If the head of the pin is so chewed-up that the tuning lever won't grip it, yet is OK on the other pins, then this pin will really have to be replaced. WIll the tuning lever grip it enough to turn it out? Sometimes enough grip can be obtained to turn it one way only.

I think in the end you will need a piano technician. If you manage to get the pin out yourself, there is the matter of measuring it, and obtaining a replacement. You can't buy single tuning pins - ten is the smallest number I think the supply houses will supply. And most of the supply houses won't supply to the public. You can buy pins on Ebay mind you, is quantities of 12. But you'd have to be confident to manage getting the string coils on the new pin, closing up the coils etc. It's all a bit fiddly if you're not used to it.

And now go and ask your local car mechanic how to service your car, so that you don't have to pay him/her to do it in future......

thx everyone for your answers, i will wait for my piano technician, whom teaches me piano repairment and tuning by the way, the problem is he is always traveling around, and i don't want to wait.

I would tell him what the situation is, with the single untunable pin, and see whether he can come earlier than usual. Andf I gather he won't be surprised by your having tuned most of the piano by yourself. Good luck to all --