Dealin with Piano Manufactures

[Terry L Jack]

Keith,

> Two questions:
>
> >...Has a Dampp Chaser since new...
>
> Is this the complete Dampp-Chaser Climate Control system?

Yes it is. It is a HM-2 Humidistat. Next to the piano is an electronic
humidity gauge.  I keep the humidity approximately 40% to 50%. Also have a
dehumidifier in the room.  I am in Western Oregon so being to dry is not a
problem. If it were I would suspect I would find uniform looseness with the
pins not 4 of them. Additionally I would not find pins with over 110 in lb
of torque.

To give you an idea of the differences:

F21     Left 65    Center            Right 80
A-25            50                                     75
A37             60            90                     70
B38             60            90                     95
C40             90            60                     85
C#41           90            60                     55
G47            <45           55                     70
A49              55            80                     80
C52             75            55                     85
E56              60            55                    85
C64              65            75                    105
G71              70            >110                   65
C88               65            115                110

No heat registers, no drafts, no direct sunlight, on an inside wall etc.
This piano is in almost a perfect place.
>
> >...My tuning pins have a torque of between less than 45 in
> >lbs to over 115 in lb.  I am concerned about the very low ones of
course... this piano was delivered brand spanking new October 23 1996.

When I bought the piano I was not in the piano tech business. My first tech
asked me to get another as the unisons would not stay in tune. The second
tech (btw both very compitant folks and RPTs) wrote on one of his work
reciepts: " A5-F5# tuning pins quite close together causing the music wire
in the unisons to jam together creating excess friction and making tuing
difficult. Unison drift more than usual falseness present also due partly to
bridge pins not firmly set in the holes."  He mentioned to me that some of
the pins were noticibly looser than others and this was making it a bit more
tricky to tune.  I would find that 3 to 4 unisons would go out of tune
within a few days. Out of ignorance I just assumed I am to piclky and all
pianos do this. This is my first new piano.  I wondered though because my
old Remington stayed in tune.

My new piano was tuned 4 times first year and 2X annually after that.

It is hard to say if the pinao stays tuned as I practice temperments on int
often. Seems better although 2 ot the pins turn almost by looking at them.

> Does the piano stay in tune?



Terry Jack
Asso Member
Eugene, OR Chapt