Hi All-

I'm tuning pianos at the Kawai booth today and tomorrow in preparation for the NAMM show. Mannino Sensei said there's a surprise for me. Something about no more RX's?

I'm very curious.

Sounds interesting.

Keep us informed.

It's going to be an exciting week . . and not necessarily in a nice way. It has been very dry for the 2 weeks we have been prepping the pianos. My handy (and very accurate) gauge said 21% RH at 74 degrees most of the day today.

It is supposed to rain Thursday! Ouch.

Let's hope Lisa guarantees her tunings . . . . :-)

Lisa - Now's your chance. Figure out a fee to be "at the ready" for all of the days of the convention.

I tuned for a Namm show in Chicago many years ago. It was about 15 below zero outside and the dock doors were wide open as exhibits were loaded in. We were tuning in winter jackets and gloves. Then they turned the heat on.....The pianos must have sounded horrible for the show. I don't think Namm has been in Chicago since then.

It's all your fault.

Yes, the white line guarantee. See that white line? Once I cross it, that's it.

7 down, 7 to go, after I check the last two I did last night. I was in tuning stupor mode. Well, maybe Mannino Sensei won't relinquish the EX tuning to me... so 6 more.

Maybe Don can post a photo of the booth.

The GM 10 is still the GM 10.. Very cute. the Rosewood finish on the GX-2 is very pretty. Tuning very even. I want. I haven't tuned any of the (real) pianos yet. I'll let you know.

I'm so technical. I mention to Don "gee these tunung pins are a new kind of shiny and they tune ok". Don says "yes they're a new material and I find they render better".

Interesting! I'm pulling this back to the top, because I want to keep the question near the surface...did you find your 'surprise!', yet? The tuning pins, perhaps?

I think I may have tuned a Shigeru last year at the PTG convention with a 'beta-test' of those tuning pins. Don mentioned that they were looking at a new slightly stiffer tuning pin for them. I've always enjoyed tuning these pianos, but that one seemed particularly willing to respond to tuning input...and they are a very nice piano generally. ;-)

Keep us updated, pretty please!

Sipping the morning cup of,
Columbian today,
I am,

Naw, it was probably the cost of the union labor at the convention center!

No kidding. I exhibited at Chicago NAMM a long time ago. I had to pay a union electrician $35 (in 1982 dollars) to plug in my electrical devices into their extension cord that was lying right there. We won't discuss the animals that were passed off as "union movers" that unloaded our trailer rolled our dollies to our location. At least we didn't have any fork lifts through soundboards . . .

Jeff-
The surprise was that I was the first non Kawai employee to get to tune the new GX series pianos. What a treat since the pianos had all been prepped by David Reed and Don Mannino. I just had to waltz in and tune. These guys are such "lab coat guys", I used the sugar coater on one note and Don told me that he usually pulls the action to do that so he can smooth the felt.

Things obviously different: The pinblock is fitted differently, you can't see a line of felt between the end of the plate and the stretcher bar. Stretcher bar is wider, too. Pianos are about and inch longer, the keys are longer, making the geometry different. Other improvements like new tuning pins. I didn't get to pull an action and stare at it to figure out what else is different. No time. I'm sure Don will fill us in after the show. No rest till next week for that bunch, the booth was very busy with visitors and buyers.

In a prior life, in the 1980's I set up an exhibit at venues throughout the midwest. I'd get as much done as possible till the Labor boss came by on his golf cart and told me to get a laborer at $80 an hour - I needed a forklift for 20 minutes, at a minimum $250/hour. The forklift came with a driver, a supervisor, and a laborer. Union rules. Then I had to hire an electrician for an hour to plug the display in. Reverse all of that on tear down.

Update regarding weather and tuning: Lisa's fine tunings were totally destroyed yesterday (Thursday) by a combination of humidity change (21% Wednesay, 60% Thursday) and a LOT of people pounding away at the pianos all day. They all went nicely sharp in the tenor, with octaves and unisons sounding truly horrid.

David Reed and I tuned 10 pianos in a little under 3 hours this morning. Gonna have to do it again tomorrow (Saturday) morning, I think.