[CAUT] Grease/Oil on upright pressure bar

Jim Harvey harvey@greenwood.net
Fri, 7 Oct 2005 20:06:52 -0400


There have been cases of factory "oversights", regardless of
manufacturer. All that I'm aware of were innocent in nature. That is,
they were attempts by the workers at doing something faster, better, or
easier, and NOT byproducts of a design or manufacturing requirement.
(This does _not_ include things like soaking hammer flanges in mutton
tallow, which was a manufacturing decision).

This situation, however, is a new phenomenon to me. I don't know the how
many pianos are considered a "bunch" in Laredo, but you could consider
removing the pressure bar for cleaning. Unfortunately, I think this is
the least of the problem. As you indicated, the material has or -will-
travel. It will compromise bass strings and affect sound transfer
through the bridges.

At this point, and based on your description alone, it seems unlikely
that heat or solvents is going to do the trick. Depending on what the
foreign material actually is, it's also possible that removing/replacing
strings and cleaning everything in sight may not work.

I feel that the condition was caused by another "PRN" rather than the
factory. Otherwise, I can recall at least two instances of a similar
nature. One involved "blow-by" from the kitchen in a restaurant. The
entire piano was absolutely dead within six months. The other was ...
something (Pledge, lemon oil?) applied by an overzealous housekeeper.
Either of these had the same end results as you seem to be experiencing.

Just my take...
Jim Harvey

-----Original Message-----
>>> >Is this normal?  Making unisons stable is a bit of a chore.  No
>>> >wonder they were warbling & howling.  Do they come from the factory
>>> >this way? or did one of the past piana toonas oil everything up?
>>>
>>> >Over lubricated in Laredo,
>>> >Andrew


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