DC / value ??

[Carl Teplitski]

Similar observation here. Piano teaching facility has a Kawai piano
in one of the rooms. Recently I installed a DamppChaser unit to try
and educate the owner on the value of same. Doing the fall tuning,
I found that it was sharp as well, but not as sharp as you describe.
When we talked, I made mention of this to the owner, and he was
very quick to point out that the unit had in fact been unplugged all
summer.   My reaction was . . . uh, ??. I'm guessing that because it
did have the benefit of the DC for the time before being unplugged,
it probably was in a better position to handle the extra humidity which
was evident in our area this very hot and humid summer. By the look and
body language of my customer, I have serious doubts that he buys this
theory.
I'm very curious as to what the condition of piano might have been if it was

plugged in those extreme summer days. I had installed this unit at my cost,
in
hopes that there would be significant benifit, which could result in the
installation
of many units, in the rest of the school. Very difficult to overcome the
resistance
of spending this much money at best, and now there is the appearance that
they
are of little or no benefit. What bothers me some, is the fact that I like
to tune to
440, but as these pianos range so much away from pitch, it obviously takes a
lot
more work to maintain them. As these pianos are quite new, you would expect
that standard pitch should be no problem. I'm now thinking that I should
tune a
little sharp, ( 442 ? ) so that they will be easier to stabilize. Generally,
they are played
alone, so I don't suppose it would cause any problems.
If tuning took place later when the heat was on, pitch might lower
naturally, but teaching starts first week of Sept., and request to tune
was for 3rd. week of Aug., far from any dry heat which is what comes
from a furnace.   ????????
Curious how other guys handle this situation.

Carl / Winnipeg

Clyde Hollinger wrote:

> Friends,
>
> I'm back after a two-week vacation to the Canadian Maritime provinces.
> Nice trip!
>
> One of my tuning jobs today was a Kawai UST-8 with a complete
> Dampp-Chaser system, a piano I've been tuning annually since 1995, in an
> elementary school.  Even though the system seemed to be working properly
> (the dehumidifier was cranking out the heat), the tenor plain strings
> were up to 11c sharp, making a pretty nasty sounding piano -- before I
> tuned it, of course!
>
> Here's my two best guesses why this was so.  Either the piano was
> unplugged all summer and recently plugged in, or the tank got empty and
> was just recently filled.  The teacher wasn't there for me to ask.  Both
> would have the same effect, methinks.
>
> Long shot guesses would be that it's just been too humid for the piano
> to keep after, or that the system isn't working properly.  Thoughts?
>
> Personal notes:  I developed tendonitis in my tuning lever shoulder two
> weeks before vacation.  I didn't go to the doctor, since I thought it
> would have time to heal while vacationing.  It didn't.  This morning I
> tore a muscle in my right leg calf, which hurt pretty much, so I went to
> the doctor and we discussed both problems.  He wants me on crutches, but
> we can't do that because of the shoulder, so I hobble pretty badly as I
> walk.  I'll be starting physical therapy for the shoulder later this
> week.  All while trying to do four weeks' worth of tuning in two!  Fun,
> fun!
>
> Regards,
> Clyde Hollinger, RPT
>
> _______________________________________________
> pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives