Just received my second parcel from Schaff Piano Supply Co. Very relieved... it's always nerve-wracking to order stuff from overseas and hope it doesn't get "lost" in our local postal service.

Slowly but surely my collection of tools and materials is growing.

Most of all, I'm looking forward to testing the Watanabe tuning tip.

I bought my tools in the mid 1980's, and I'm having to replace some now. I'm stunned at how much prices have gone up. I -think- some of the tools cost 3-4x what they did then. I wonder if there are fewer people buying these specialty tools, causing the price to go up also, besides just inflation.

Finding a retiring/deceased technician would be a good way to acquire tools.

I received my second copy of February 2012 PTG Journal today.

I bought a tool case s-2700 of schaff supply.I'm happy
but It's 44,187 JPY. whew!

Over the weekend, I did an experimental temperament concert tuning for a Moroccan pianist, in which standard ET is used but several notes in each octave are greatly modified. (It's his concept that he developed in MIDI and he asked that I not reveal the altered notes or cents adjustment used to anyone.) It made me realize how I have barely scratched the surface on what is possible with alternate temperaments and microtones, and I'm eager to get into it much deeper.

On Sunday I took and passed the RPT tech exam. Then yesterday I had two new clients back-to-back, both were older Baldwin grands.

The first client has a late 60s Baldwin L that is in remarkably excellent condition, like it had been in a hermetically sealed environment. That said, it had likely not been regulated or adjusted at all since it left the factory. Slightly flattened hammers (with plenty of felt left for reshaping); hammer blow mostly more than 55-60mm; letoff at least 7 or 8mm away and drop about 6mm below that! Dampers lifting perfectly with the pedal and sostenuto working perfectly (go figure); many hammers missing or grazing an outside string, and some were so low they were getting hung up on the backchecks. A couple of bass strings could use a twist too...

I tightened flange screws, did two tunings, some sample regulation, and the client was very enthusiastic. Will return in a few weeks to pick up the keys for rebushing, then do a two-day regulation and voicing. Client bought the piano with no tech help and no knowledge of pianos, and got an incredible deal. The board and bridges are in perfect condition. (For some reason I've been encountering lots of Baldwin L grands as of late - I sure love these pianos.)

The next Baldwin was an M and unfortunately it was a disaster. 3 huge cracks in the board, cracks in the bridges, lots of replaced wire with the sloppiest coils I've ever seen, replacement bass string windings going into agraffes, loose tuning pins pounded in so far the coils were on the plate, replaced keytops that were rubbing against each other and the keyslip, and moth damage to the original action parts, probably from the 50s. I shimmed the keyslip for free to fix some sticky keys and declined the tuning; as I was packing up the client told me they had just moved the piano up from Miami. Bummer.

Next I picked up a keyset from another client for rebushing and then tuned two new Bohemia verticals - very nice pianos.

WTG James. Quite a day you had yesterday. Busy busy busy!

I'm busy, tuning at my college again this week. Nice week...

James,

Congrats on the tech exam you passed!

James,
Congrats on the exam! You are re-bushing crazy right now!

Just got home from giving a presentation to the local PTG chapter; "Efficient piano tuning techniques". I put together a power point to run while I did a 20-25 cent pitch raise and second pass on a Baldwin upright in about 45 minutes. Hope everyone went home with at least one thing to try...

Ron Koval

Worked out of town all day today but all four pianos were within a few block radius. One was for a young but vibrant performing artist. One was at the high school where he attended some years ago but who now only wants me to tune for them. That tuning was for a performance later this week. The other two were referrals from the artist who now lives in Chicago but is back home frequently to a small, South Central Wisconsin city. All were fine grands. All were cleaned. All were tuned in the EBVT III

Just wrote my 2,500th post!

Today was a non-tuning day. Instead, it was a playing day. Accompanied one of the local high school musical productions for their in-school performances of Sound of Music. Full run-through assembly this morning, followed by two 30-minute preview shows this afternoon. They have a remarkably unremarkable older Yamaha G5...oh, the stories it could tell! Plus, I'm home in time to get to the golf course! Great day!

Really yesterday...,

Completed a treble wire restring and new hammer job on a big Krakauer Brothers vertical. Put new wire on the top 35 notes along with reshaping the upper bridge termination and doing CA treatment on loose bridge pins as I went.

One day I had seen the old recommendation which I had sent for this work in my files. I decided to mail it again and address it to the church deacons and see what happened. It turns out that the musician must have not had the nerve to ask for the work, because this time they called and approved it (after a slight adjustment in price due to almost two years passage of time).

What an improvement! I have been tuning for them off and on for twenty years and the false beats had been driving me nuts! Also, the dampers had been lifting early, so regulation of the spoons really helped the feel of the keys. Tunings of the new wire will continue, of course, as the strings stretch and the Dampp Chaser and humisistat take the excess spring moisture out of the piano.

Today?
Heading out to the shop building site.

Thanks everyone, glad the test is behind me....

Yesterday I had a Kawai K-3, a Bosendorfer 170, a Kawai GS-40, and two tunings on yet another Baldwin L from the 90s. (was 40 cents sharp!)

Did a bit of regulation on the L; love the rep spring screw adjuster and the capstans thoughtfully provided for damper lift with the pedal. But I hate the fact that the keys must be removed for glidebolt adjustment - not a thoughtful feature!

Phil, I've got some old Krakauer grands in the clientele and they are very nice instruments; probably one of the better "non-famous" makes from back in the day.

I've been experiencing the same thing, Dan. And not only are tools expensive, but the quality has declined in many cases too. Just compare Vise-Grips from the 70s or 80s to a pair sold today. It is clearly not the same tool it once was.

Some of my favorite tools are at least 60 years old...

Yeah, anything made by "Irwin" has gone down the tubes.

Bought a rowboat. Caught some perch with the boy. He lost a tooth on the way home. I finished his apple for him.

"How to start a Tuesday"

Kimball studio in a damp church
Find rat nest, its smell, and the lovely smell of mold to boot
Find stiff jacks
Add the smell of CLP to the mix
String breaks right in the middle of the keyboard as you raise pitch (even though you were lowering each string a tad as you worked)
Go outside for balmy Georgia pollen breezes
Go back in for the rest of the job.

(The day was constantly improving after this.)

Tuned a couple of pianos and then looked at an Everett spinet built in 1937. It was the kind that looks like a grand, sort of. 4 Lion's clawed legs/feet, a pedal lyre, that kind. Very nice shape on the outside but, as might be expected, neglected on the inside.. Needs lots of work. Keys sticking, kids put stuff under the keys too, hammer flanges sticking etc.... Nice lady. Left an estimate. I think it'll sound pretty good if she fixes it up.

It was moisture damage day. Nice ornate 1901 Chickering grand all original. It has a player installed - what a shame. The strings and pins are very rusty. The snowbirds turn off the A/C during the summer when they are up north. One lower bass string broke while raising it 25 cents to 440. It's worn out - needs a complete rebuild and bridge repair - I'm surprised a player was installed without rebuilding the piano.

Then a 40's era Story and Clark grand, ivory keys, someone replaced the high treble hammers. Worn action, cracked soundboard buzzes. Strings rusty. She is teaching piano to pre school kids on it. The replaced treble hammers were weak so I put some acetone/keytop on them.

Last piano, a 50's Acrosonic Console, moisture/mold stains on the key sticks. 12 bass hammers falling off the moldings. Some loose hammer flange pinning. I'm surprised the strings and pins had little rust. It's in a mobile home clubhouse with no A/C. The board has to decide if they want the action fixed. The board President wants the the owner of the piano to fix it, but she has no money. Eventually, the loose hammer felt will jam up the bass hammers.

Had my first sharp piano of the year. A Kimball console in a damp church, and it one hammer butt flange that the pin was walking out of.

I usually don't see sharp pianos this early, but the lack of winter speeded things up.

Worked on my taxes. Business was up 25% from last year!

Well, I lucked out today for sure!! I was tuning a Yamaha G3 grand that I've tuned every 6 months for years. I lifted up the lid like I always do with this piano and just happened to notice something laying on the sound board. Upon a closer look, I see a hinge PIN. I quickly but, slowly, let down the lid and put the pin back into the back hinge again.... I'm lucky it didn't go flying down to the ground. After the lid was down, I lifted up on it to see how loose it was. It came right up.... Lucky me!!!

Whew! Close one! I have gotten into the habit of "waggling" (there's that word again) the lid after lifting it a couple of inches, before lifting it up all the way.

I always check the hinge pins on grand lids before lifting the lid. I should probably check on uprights, too...as I've had some larger older upright lids nearly fall to the floor behind the piano.

I forgot! didn't even dawn on me. I tuned the piano so much, I just lifted it up.... Almost had an oops moment! Or, they did. What idiot would take it out and lay it on the sound board anyway.

Wow, Jerry, you were indeed lucky. I haven't been consistent in checking for hinge pins......note to self...

Yesterday I put a close friend together with a nice little 5'8" 1936 Mathushek grand.

Today, being Thursday, was Shout House day. Three broken strings on one piano, zero on the other.

Loose lids? One of the teachers at the convention told a tale of entering house, heading upstairs to tune the grand, lifting the lid....and having it slide off the piano and through the plate glass window to the ground far below. 'Guess we're done here, huh?' 'Yes' says the owner.

Waggle (there's that word) indeed. With new customers; I try to remember to physically check the hinge pins. Partly to make sure they ARE hinge pins, and not toothpicks or hacked off nails. But, yes, a simple waggle, as the lid comes clear of the retaining pin is a simple habit to build.

My day? Kawai GS-50 (84) Nice nice piano. And...a very rare no-show for a church tuning. Wow. And right before Easter...the choir director will be unhappy (didn't answer phone, or I'd have waited).

I always touch the hinge pins before I open the lid. A few times the customer has looked at me funny and said "The piano opens on this side".

I'm supposed to be cleaning the house today for Passover dinner. Instead, I'm online goofing off.

You can have the hinge pin in place, but stripped screws.