A gal calls me cause she's fed up with the fact no one else in town has been able to fix her piano. Apparently, she's tried everyone else and the tech from the piano store couldn't fix it either. It's a yamaha p-22 and it has a ringing noise in the upper registers.......when the lid is on,..not when the lid is off. Lid on...ringing....lid off.... no ringing.


I haven't been to look at it yet but I'm wondering if saran wrap might be the answer. Leave the top off, wrap it tight with a high grade plastic wrap to keep dust out and collect the 75 dollar service charge. any thoughts?

No, seriously, all funniness aside, any thoughts on what I might be looking at or what I might look for first?

Thank you,

Anson Everitt
PTG dues payer, associate

You have to go listen to it yourself. The description of the owner isn't reliable. I would check all the plate screws for tight, first.
You might find the answer if you don't let what has been said, lead you in the same direction as the others. When no one else can fix it, the clues are leading you in the wrong direction. When you get there, forget anything about what has been said by the owner and just look for any problem with the piano. It could be a tight pedal causing a damper harmonic that is acentuated when the lid is closed.

What she's hearing as "ringing" is going to have everything to do with any chance of success you might have. Try to determine what she's hearing. She would probably hear the plastic wrap buzzing.

A parade of technicians who can't solve a problem usually points to a customer's perceptions rather than anything concrete in the piano.

Be careful.

I've had people call me, notice a "ringing" in the high end, and it comes down to the client noticing that the piano does not have DAMPERS in the far upper register!! Seriously, we've had a few service calls on new pianos...if I'm the tuner who the store referred, I'll usually waive the service call and just explain that pianos are built that way...

Check it out...it might be the problem! RPD

Its like I have a personal Yoda at my disposal. WHen searching for answers, go to the technicians forum, I will. I'm glad your helpful responses aren't in Yoda-ese.

Thankful, I am.

anson

It's odd that the she would notice the ringing when the lid is closed, not open.

I know this is a long shot, but could it be that she sets a piano lamp on the piano when the lid is closed? I've noticed that the filaments in the incandescent tube bulbs tend to vibrate at around B or A-sharp.

Just a thought.

Also, you might want to check how tight the lid hinge pins are.