I'm going batty trying to tune the violin in my Mills Violano.  I'm not
a string instrument player (assuming banjos don't count) and I haven't
been able to get this thing to sound decent since we moved it last year.
If someone could offer a step-by-step guide they use I'd be most
appreciative.

The machine normally plays with the vibrato mechanism in action, which
in turn causes the weights to bounce slightly, which varies the tuning.
I'm assuming that one is trying to hit a median pitch on each string,
but perhaps this assumption is wrong.  When the strings are bowed by the
wheels even with the vibrato turned off there is still a ton of
variation in the tone, with the note fluctuating by at least 10 cents.

With all of that variation I can't seem to tune them by ear and tuning
with a meter with the time averaging window set to the longest interval
results in lousy sound when playing music.

I've also tried plucking the strings rather than using the bow wheels
which results in a pure tone that can easily be tuned by ear, but then
too the intonation is awful when playing music.  The piano is tuned low,
at A430.  I am using that setting on the meter, or just tuning to the
piano when going by ear.  (The piano needs tuning, but is not too
bad-anyone know a Boston-area tune willing to tune a Violano piano?)

I have checked that when the strings are fretted at the halfway point I
get the octave, so the nut to bridge spacing should be correct-I'm
assuming you lift the felt damper at the nut end to check
this-correct?.

It used to sound better than this, so I know it's possible to improve
its current state.  Any hints would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
Roger Wiegand
Wayland, Massachusetts, USA
http://www.carouselorgan.com/