World's Worst Tuner

[Tom Myler]

> From: Maxpiano@aol.com
> To: pianotech@byu.edu
> Subject: Re: World's Worst Tuner
> Date: Wednesday, March 12, 1997 12:01 AM
>
> List -
>
> I followed one of those once.  Inebriated.  Tuning not like the one
Horace
> just mentioned - awful
>
> The music teacher called the bank immediately to stop payment on her
check.
>  Too late.  He had stopped there already on his way out of town.
>
> The same gentlemen used to leave a calling card, not paper on the music
desk
> but sheet lead fishline sinkers wrapped around the backcheck wire of any
> sticking key.  It did work.  Kinda.
>
> Bill Maxim, Greer, SC



Oh boy,  my turn.

Piano-  30's low-end Aeolian grand, terrible condition.   Located in  a
little church.

Problem-  damper near the tenor break was leaking badly.  Reason-  damper
felt was a hollowed-out husk, having been eaten from the inside out by
carpet weevils.

Previous technician's repair-  One (1) Jiffy Lead, SCREWED into the top of
the damper head.  With two screws, no less;  this guy was no slouch.

The bad news-  it felt just a little bit strange, having one key with a
perceived downweight of about 4 pounds; also, with the guide rail bushings
shot,  this altered damper really rattled and banged around.

The worse news- it didn't work. The damper still leaked.

I had two options-

1) screw another jiffy lead onto the damper, to reduce leakage;  then,
install two leads on all the other dampers to even out the touch

or

2) remove jiffy lead, replace damper felt, patch screw holes (screws had
split the head).


I chose (2) since I was short on time and Jiffy Leads.



Regards,

Myler, Tom

"Perhaps the greatest wisdom is the knowledge
of one's own ignorance"

                                 John Steinbeck