Dampp-Chaser string

[Paul S. Larudee]

David ilvedson wrote:
> 
> > > Last week I tuned a Sohmer studio and the piano was a quarter step flat.
> > the pianist said she was having it tuned regularly.  At first  I thought it
> > was wild fluctuations in temperature, but I discovered a dammp-chaser
> > humidifier with the heat bar, but no humidifier.

Yesterday, I went to tune a Steinway upright that had been moved from a
different climate (Fresno, CA) to here 7 months ago.  It was a quarter
step sharp.  I checked, and sure enough, it was equiped with a
Dampp-Chaser rod and humidistat which had not been plugged in since the
move.  It may also have had a humidifier tank, but if so it was removed
for the move and never put back.  In any case it would have been
superfluous here (Berkeley, CA) because the humidity never gets low
enough to activate it.

I didn't tune the piano.  I told them to plug it in and that I would
return in a couple of weeks.  They were ten minutes away and I needed
time to do my taxes anyway.

Paul S. Larudee, RPT
Richmond, CA