Hi Carl, Because the piano started *out* at 42% the summer bulge in pitch was that much less. My oberservations over many years tell me that for each 5% of humidity change the pitch at A4 will change about 4 cents, *if* the piano is allowed to stabilize at the new humidity. Just how much time that takes is an unknown factor. At 02:19 PM 9/17/2003 -0500, you wrote: >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 > >_______________________________________________ >pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > > Regards, Don Rose, B.Mus., A.M.U.S., A.MUS., R.P.T. mailto:pianotuna@accesscomm.ca http://us.geocities.com/drpt1948/ 3004 Grant Rd. REGINA, SK S4S 5G7 306-352-3620 or 1-888-29t-uner
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