Jar of Water in Piano--Truth or myth?

[Michael Gamble]

Hello Mike Kurta & List
It may be our weather in the UK, but many people have installed central 
heating in ther homes and central heating is a killer to the older pianos. 
By older, I mean pre-1960s. After that date kiln dried woods were used in 
piano construction, which, after shaping/planing, whatever, was then sealed. 
Take Knight pianos and Danemann pianos which in this country were made in 
vast quantities and sold, principally, to schools. Those pianos do not seem 
to be so adversely affected by the drying out process of central heating. I 
have many times instructed a client with an older upright to get as LARGE a 
surface area container as possible to fit on the bottom board of the piano, 
fill with water, mark where the water comes up to and monitor its 
evaporation. If they notice the water going down they know that were that 
container not there the moisture would have been extracted from their 
piano...!!! This is motivation  in taking care of their piano - which can't 
be a bad idea. I usually instruct them to get one of those sturdy plastic 
containers from a delicatessen or a used large ice-cream tub. No need for 
any wicking, the large surface area takes care of itself. The results on 
many older pianos can be quite remarkable. Pin blocks tighten up, tuning 
becomes more stable etc. So don't knock the use of water in this type of 
scenario - it works. It really does. At least it does in the UK. Maybe our 
water is stronger?
Regards from a sunny spring day in the Downland Village
Michael G.(UK)
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Kurta" <mkurta@adelphia.net>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2005 12:06 PM
Subject: Re: Jar of Water in Piano--Truth or myth?


>    I also have seen many empty Mason jars in the bottom of vertical 
> pianos.
> Its my feeling that the surface area of the water exposed to the air is 
> too
> small to have any real benefit, and without some method of infusing the
> moisture into the air (fan, heat, whatever) is does little good.  Then, 
> the
> adage "out of sight, out of mind" takes over, the owner forgets to fill 
> the
> jar, and its ineffective anyway.
>    Mike Kurta
>    Auburn, NY  Home of the Wegman piano
>
>