mice in the piano

[cook]

Excuse me, Gordon- just what IS a "mose- infected" piano. Sounds dang
dangerous to me!

Sorry-
Henry Cook
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "gordon stelter" <lclgcnp@yahoo.com>
To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, February 17, 2006 11:44 AM
Subject: Re: mice in the piano


> 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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