mice in the piano

[gordon stelter]

If you don't thoroughly clean the interior of the
piano, you will be putting whomever plays it in danger
as they, encouraged by the tuning, pound away on it
and kick up the residue under the keys, and breathe
it. But cleaning it will put you in danger. Much has
been written here about mouse-infested pianos, and you
should check the archives. I was coughing up blood for
a month once from tuning a  mose-infested piano, and
ended up at the hospital. Beware. If the infestation
is more than minor, tell her to get a  different
piano, and burn this one.
    Most definitely don't give it to a  poor family
"for their kids to learn on. " ( What rich people
usually do with infectious, dangerous pianos, in my
experience. ) 
     G
     G 

--- pianotune05 <pianotune05@comcast.net> wrote:

> Hi everyone,
> I got a call today from a lady who told me that
> there is evidence of mice in the piano, or past
> mouse activity.  I'm going over to take a look at
> the piano tomorrow.  Actually, she's willing to pick
> me up. She drives Mercedes, an old one she tells me.
>  If the spelling is incorrect, blame my wife.:)  
> 
> Anyway, I won't do anything with the keys and action
> of the bridal straps are missing until I learn that
> repair.  However, I want to accomodate her the best
> I can.  She wants it tuned, but a couple of keys
> will go down but not up.  I'm guessing there's a
> mouse nest in the key bed, however, is there
> something I can do in order to give that key a quick
> free up so it will go back up before I learn that
> bridal strap repair etc?   Also, I read in one of
> our past journals some time back that lavender
> placed inside the piano helps keep mice away.  Where
> do I purchase lavender?  
> 
> I apologize if this is a question already exists in
> the archives as one guy on here reamed mb about a
> while back, but i'ts a lot easier than hunting down
> an archive. Thanks so much everyone. 
> Marshall
>   ----- Original Message ----- 
>   From: Aart in America Piano Services 
>   To: Pianotech List 
>   Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2006 7:15 PM
>   Subject: harpsichord
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>     Hi Blaine.
> 
>     Thank you so much for taking the time to compose
> this very informative and helpful email.
>     The directions you have provided are invaluable!
> 
>     I'll let you and the other good folks on the
> list know how it comes out.
> 
>     Very best regards,
> 
>     Aart
> 
>     Aart in America Piano Services
>     Hoboken, N.J. 07030
>     201 406 2594
>     aartinamerica@optonline.net
> 
>     On Feb 16, 2006, at 9:01 AM, Blaine Vesely
> wrote:
> 
> 
>       Aart,
>       I get pianotech in digest form and have
> minimal time to read everything, but your post
> prompted this email.  Don't even worry about taking
> inharmonicity measurements with a SAT2 since the
> machine does not go below 2.0 I think.  A
> harpsichord modelled after an old Baroque French
> Double (sounds like this is the kind you will be
> working on) will not have much inharmonicity.  Just
> use the 4th octave settings on your SAT to tune from
> B4 to the bottom of the harpsichord.  A4 will be
> more toward the treble than the bass side of the
> keyboard assuming a compass of F to F.  Probably the
> second A from the top of the range on the keyboard. 
> When you tune the C5 to top of the keyboard, you may
> have to insert some stretch alittle, but not much. 
> You can use the individual settings and tune the
> notes directly, like set machine to D5 and tune D5,
> D#5 and tune D#5.  This gets you in the ballpark
> pretty much.  Then use your ear to test if some
> stretch is needed.  On a French Double, you will
> have two 8 foots and a 4 foot.  I usually tune the
> top manual.  It will only operate one set of 8 foot
> strings.  You must make sure the top keyboard is
> coupled.  Slide the whole keyboard front or back and
> it will couple the keyboard to the jacks.  When you
> get the top manual tuned, then play the bottom
> manual.  Make sure you only have the second set of 8
> foot strings coupled, and not the 4 foot.  Tune
> unisons using the bottom keyboard.  Usually the 8
> foot strings are the tuning pins closest to the
> player.   Then turn off the 8 foot (lever that moves
> the jacks) and turn on the 4 foot and tune.  The top
> 4 foot strings are hard sometimes to hear and you
> may have to uncouple the top manual and tune octaves
> with just the 4 foot, usually it is only the last
> several strings because they are so quiet and high
> pitched. 
> 
>       Concerning tuning pins, if you have to replace
> a string, you really have to back out the tuning pin
> all the way if it has tapered tuning pins.  If it
> has what look like miniature tuning pins that are
> straight, then put coils on a dummy pin and then
> copy what the other strings look like.  I have not
> done any stringing with pins that have no becket, to
> if that is the case, you will just have to practice
> and when you get comfortable with it, go back to the
> customer.  The pins generally for harpsichords that
> are of a traditional nature are designed to get
> tighter when tapped in and thus tapered.  So take
> the pin out, put the string in (you might want to
> take the jacks out) and cut it maybe 8 inches longer
> than the tuning pin.  Copy the way the string is on
> the pin and it helps to maintain adequate tension
> when coiling the string on the pin, and drive the
> pin in the hole.  I have also been told that when
> you bring the string up to tension that you should
> leave it a little bit under pitch, maybe 50 - 100
> cents for a few minutes.  Someone told me that it
> does something to the molecules in the iron strings
> and makes it stronger.  Then bring it up to full
> tension.  Oh yes, the low inharmonicity and lower
> pitch when stringing thing I just talked about
> applies to instruments with red, yellow brass and
> iron strings.  If you know that the instrument has
> steel strings or has strings that are wound, then
> there is probably more inharmonicity and will need
> some stretch eventually in tuning.  One way to tell
> iron from steel is that when you bend or kink iron,
> it will be easier to bend and will give you a
> definite kink.  Steel is harder to put a kink in it.
> 
>       Some fast thoughts, have fun with it.
> 
>       Blaine Vesely, Piano Technician
>       Kent State University
>       School of Music
>       Kent, Ohio 44242
>       office: 330-672-2898
>       fax: 330-672-7837
>       email: bvesely@kent.edu
> 
> 
> 


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