Coffee spill on the Bridge

[antares]

Oh, I forgot,
If you make a claim, just renew the bridge pins and the strings 
(including cleaning and 7 tunings), just to make sure.
Somebody has to pay for it anyway.

OOR

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

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