Dampp-Chaser Marketing (was Climate control systems in vert.)

[Israel Stein]

On Thu, 24 Nov 1994, John Minor wrote:

> [SNIP]
> > Thank you, Tom, for your reply. That is precisely what I did. Of the two
> > teachers (one has two pianos) one understood my concerns and is currently
> > using both the humidifier and the Dampp-Chaser system. I suppose that's
> > optimal humidity control.
>
>     That's like the guy who wears suspenders *AND* a belt! : )

Not really. She wants the Dampp-Chaser mainly to minimize the huge pitch
change during the high humidity summer season. She is keeping
the humidifier going in the winter heating season  to preserve the piano
structurally (read pinblock) over the long term. Her studio is in a basement which >
which gets very hot and dry in the winter. IMHO this is a good all around
solution to all possible humidity problems encountered in that environment.

My problem with Dampp-Chaser marketing directly to piano owners is that
it is just as if drug companies were marketing directly to patients. If
the doctor feels that in a particular case the drug is not the best
solution, his job of convincing the patient is that much harder. Those of
us who aren't out to stick a Dampp-Chaser in every piano and actually try
to analyze each situation on it's merits will probably have a harder time
of it...

))The other is > depending solely on her Dampp-Chasers. Another client (a
>)doctor and very > fine amateur pianist) who got the Dampp-Chaser mailing
>)and discussed the > matter with me very quickly figured out on his own
>)what my concerns are > and opted to stick with his room humidifier.  > > >
>)Israel Stein
> >
>
>      Here in the midwest with sub-zero temperatures in the dead of
> winter, most new homes are built with a humidifier built into the furnace.
> With a direct water supply, and humidity control unit on the wall next to
> the thermostat, it's almost "bozo proof"! The unit can also be ADDED to
> existing furnace for a few hundred dollars. One problem I've encountered
> though, is the humidistat control doesn't come adjusted properly from the
> manufacturer. In other words, if you have it set to maintain 45% humidity,
> it may well try to keep it at 35%. It takes a slight turn of the
> adjustment screw in the wall-mounted control. I use to spend 5 minutes to
> do this for customers, with a sling psychrometer for determining correct
> moisture content. I told them that whole house humidification was the best
> way to go because what's good for the piano is good for the person! : )
>
> John Minor

My feeling, precisely. Yet Dampp-Chaser marketing is peddling convenience,
tuning stability (read "less money paid to tuners") and backing it up with
dealer endorsements here in the Boston area - where built-in home humidity
systems are the exception rather than the rule. Of course any questioning
by a technician of the system's advisability can be seen as a greedy
attempt to tune more often. Again let me reiterate, I am not opposed to
Dampp-Chasers - I just see them as an incomplete solution to long-term
effects of low or variable humidity.

Israel Stein