Coffee spill on the Bridge

[antares]

HI Ric, I have had these things quite a number of times as I am, 
besides a piano tech, also a certified appraiser.
Insurance companies hire me for exactly that kind of stuff.
In the case of you being the tech at the Grieg Conservatory it is on 
the one hand quite sensitive, because if you raise a complaint, you 
will automatically be the enemy of the student or teacher who caused 
the spill.
On the other hand the instrument belongs to the Conservatory and is now 
damaged, no matter what.
I also work for a Conservatory, here in Amsterdam.
As I have been to Bergen, I noticed that there is quite a difference 
between the Grieg Akademet and the Conservatory of Amsterdam.
Your Conservatorium is smaller and everything seemed more friendly 
because of it, whereas the Cons. in Amsterdam is more like a factory 
and unfortunately, as everything sort of becomes anonymous, the 
students don't give a damn whether they break hammers or strings. I 
find complete sandwiches  in grand piano's. They stick stickies on 
dampers, thereby always molesting dampers and they spill coffee and 
cokes where ever they can.
Unfortunately, it is very hard to catch the person who is/was 
responsible but if I get the chance, I'll nail them. So in my case I 
write reports for the Cons. and with my report they can make a claim, 
and they should, and they do.
So a lot depends on the social and behavioral structures.
If you feel you should report it and claim any damage, then you should, 
because every piano student knows that you never take any drink near a 
piano.
In the end, it is always the school which suffers the most because they 
have to pay for it eventually, unless...........


my euro

André Oorebeek

On 17-apr-04, at 19:40, Richard Brekne wrote:

> Hi folks
>
> I need some advice.
>
> Today I found that one of our practice grands, a Bluther which was in 
> quite good shape, had taken a rather nasty hit.  Upon entering the 
> room I noticed a plastic coffee cup sitting on the top of the piano.  
> The cup then was just over the bridge at the break between the treble 
> and high treble sections.  There was an obvious stain on the top and 
> upon looking in the top six notes of the treble section were soaked 
> (still somewhat dampI and there was dried coffee stain spread out 
> around the surrounding area on both sides of the soundboard.  It 
> appeared that the person responsible had spilled the coffee...said " 
> Opps ! " and sat the still not completely empty coffee cup up back 
> where it had been and just continued to play... thinking nothing 
> really of it.
>
> I am asked to write a report describing the extent and seriousness of 
> the damage and this is what I need your advice on. This is  University 
> environment so there is a certain need for formalities and 
> accountability involved.
>
> I want the seriousness of this kind of misuse of instruments accented, 
> and the resulting damage potential underlined as much as is advisable 
> without overstateing the problem.
>
> I thought of making the following points.
>
> 1.  The wood will soak in much moisture and attempt to swell, which 
> will be resisted by the bridge pins resulting in compressed bridge pin 
> holes which will yield  loose pins upon drying out.
>
> 2. This can contribute to cracking around the bridge pins both because 
> of the sideways stress of the bridge pins on the cap while wet, and 
> the resulting compression of the wood around the pins.
>
> 3.  Potential for weakening the glue joint between bridge and 
> soundboard.
>
> 4.  Localized swelling of the panel around the bridge area can result 
> in unpredicatble changes in local crown with whatever effect on the 
> sound  that results.
>
> 5. Rust on both strings and bridge pins.
>
> Please advise as to the validity of these claims and any other points 
> that should be raised.
>
> Thanks muchly
>
> RicB
>
>
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>
>
friendly greetings
from
André Oorebeek

Amsterdam -
The Netherlands

0031-20-6237357
0645-492389
0031-75-6226878
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