Tuning pin and pin block problem

[Richard Brekne]

Hi Gordon.

First off... if you can keep your piano room stable at around 30 % RH, 
then you should feel reasonably happy. 30 % is low indeed... but its not 
drastically low, and if you keep it very stable there then your piano 
should stay stable. There are a few upsides about a climate bit on the 
dry side. The abscence of felt eating creatures and less corrosion to 
name a couple. The name of the game is stability... within reasonable 
parameters... and 30% is on the low end of reasonable in my book.

As far as jumpy pins. Nothing new here... I have a C3 that is developing 
the same kind of thing... bought in 1981. Its been a real gem for all 
these years but now its getting more and more difficult to tune because 
of jumpy pins. This topic has been up many times and a host of solutions 
have been suggested. The only thing I've ever found that seems to really 
work for me is to change pins with a light wire brush reaming done to 
the interiors. I get the feeling that some combination of events leaves 
the pinholes in a glazed burnished state... tho thats just musing. In 
anycase brushing them thoroughly with a wire brush has always yeilded me 
good results. I'm not a fan of adding diverse sorts of dope to the 
pinblock myself... but many report good results with differing 
substances. I'll leave it to them to suggest whatever those are.

Cheers
RicB



Gordon Holley wrote:

> Hello List – TUNING PIN AND PIN BLOCK PROBLEM
>
> I have a church as a customer, with a Yamaha C3 Grand, SN710484, 
> approximately 25 years old, which I have tuned frequently since Mar 
> 2002, 5 times in 2004. This grand sits in a sanctuary that will seat 
> 500, a choir of 80, with a large organ, space for a 16 piece orchestra 
> and a large pulpit stage area.
>
> This piano has been in the relative same space for 25 years. The 
> church does not have any moisture/humidity control provisions, does 
> have a forced air heating system and air conditioning.
>
> The piano has a Dampp Chaser, installed some 12 to 15 years ago. 
> However, on my first
>
> tuning appointment I checked the water level and evaporator pads, the 
> water level was very low and the pads were dry and crusty. After 
> talking with the maintenance people, they changed the pads and have 
> been very good about keeping the water level up.
>
> Facts:
>
> 1. Even with the Dampp Chaser, the water evaporates in a day or two.
>
> 2. The relative humidity cannot be raised above the 32-33% mark.
>
> 3. I suggested they purchase a vaporizer to supplement the Dampp Chaser.
>
> They purchased a vaporizer, kept the water level up, the unit ran 24 hours
>
> a day, and within a 2 week period the relative humidity taken directly 
> under
>
> the piano never raised above 35%, and the fan motor burned out.
>
> Now we have a large plastic tub under the piano with water and the RH 
> will not
>
> raise above 33-34%.
>
> 4. I tuned the piano on December 4^th , 2004 and was called back to 
> tune the piano
>
> again last night, one month later, and the piano averaged 7 cents flat 
> with wild unisons.
>
> 5. MAIN CONCERN AND PROBLEM.
>
> I’ve noticed since March 2002, a problem with moving the tuning pins 
> and the problem has worsened since then. The pins will not easily 
> move, first movement down with the pitch and then bringing the pitch 
> back up, the sound from the pin in the pin block is like a finger snap 
> or like a spike being pulled out of a piece of southern yellow pine.
>
> And even after getting the pin to release, and pulled above pitch, I 
> can still get the snap sound and a jerk movement in attempting to pull 
> the wire above pitch. Not an easy smooth movement.
>
> This problem is now at the point that at least 1/3 of the pins are 
> affected this way.
>
> 6. I’ve discussed a bottom cover, a skirt, keeping the piano closed 
> during all non use
>
> periods.
>
> Questions:
>
> 1. What has happened to the pin block?
>
> 2. Will this condition, in the pin block, continue to worsen?
>
> 3. Is there anything that can be suggested to correct this problem 
> with the pin block?
>
> Many thanks,
>
> Gordon Holley, Associate Member, Indiana Chap 467
>