OK gang, I am suffering from insomnia so I decided to play my piano for awhile. The damper pedal was squeaking. Jeez.

About two year after it was rebuilt, it started squeaking and it was driving me nuts. I thought graphite might work, but I didn't want to screw-up a new rebuild. So, I called the rebuilder for advice. It seemed to not warrant a trip from my tech.

He went into great detail about some sort of lubricating product, that had graphite in it, and gave me a long explanation of how I could make it in my blender. It used something or other and graphite. He gave me a long and detailed recipe.

--- Pause on my end ---

Laughter resulted from him and he said I should just twist the pedal rods and the squeak would disappear.

Twas a gift from heaven!

So tonight, in my sleep deprived state, I was on my knees, twisting pedal rods, so I could put myself to sleep with Brahms.

But, I still seem to be awake.

Brahms, we're told, lived a very...um...will I get in trouble with the word-police...phlegmatic life...

That doesn't mean his music will impart the same.

But...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0oFv64um20

Made an appointment to tune a piano on a day that was also the new moon. I mentioned that was good because pianos tuned on the new moon stay in tune longer. "Really?", "No, not really." It was a 3/4 piano! Hadn't seen one since 1976. But does a 3/4 piano with a full plate really have a 3/4 plate? I would have charged 3/4 of the regular price, but it needed a pitch raise. It was something different and I enjoyed it, mostly because of the family. 72 notes. Quite a jump at the break though.

Hey Marty,

Sorry to hear you didn't sleep well. I slept like a baby!

Just yesterday, or was it Thursday (?) I was called to service a Yamaha C-7 with a pedal squeak.

I find many times that while twisting the rod helps, it quite often only eliminates the squeak temporary.

Thursday, I cut a small piece of felt the size of the hole inside of the back of the pedal itself. I then removed the rod and placed the felt inside of the pedal, also inside of the rubber grommet where the squeak was coming from. That solved the problem.

It seems that two things occur here.

1. The grommet twists or, turns inside of the pedal when the pedal is being depressed.

2. The pedal rod also turns and twists so, either the outside of the rubber part of the grommet might squeak from movement or, in this case, the inside of the rod itself, was moving ever so slightly in the rubber grommet area just enough to cause a very loud EEEEEEK every time it was used.

You could always kick it next time? KIDDING!

Telfon or talcum powder inside the grommet works well on squeaks.

JD,

Thanks for the link. The Brahms' op. 82 is exquisite. I had to laugh at the image with the vid. That group doesn't seem at all interested in sleep or mourning!

OK - here is another "Just for Fun."

In KC Missouri, there is a very ornate Orpheum theater which has been restored. The little pamphlet boasts that the lobby contains 32 "life size" cherubs.

Hmmmm - Has any one ever seen a cherub? How big are they? Can they dance on the head of a tuning pin? Could they cause a buzz or a squeak in a piano?

Cherubs are described as winged beings. The biblical prophet Ezekiel describes the cherubim as a tetras of living creatures, each having four faces: of a lion, an ox, an eagle, and a man. They are said to have the stature and hands of a man, the feet of a calf, and four wings. Two of the wings extended upward, meeting above and sustaining the throne of God; while the other two stretched downward and covered the creatures themselves.

Me thinks those little goobers maybe could do anything! They might even carry Diane's piano away!!!

So you can scratch it??? Come on, don't pretend, I know everything!