mice in the piano

hubert liverman hubertliverman@bellsouth.net
Fri, 17 Feb 2006 13:20:17 -0600


    Mouse...singular
    Mice...plural 
    Mose...past tense
    
    Beware the mose in the house..

    Hubert Liverman   
    Opelika, Al 

    
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "cook" <cityman1@locnet.net>
To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, February 17, 2006 12:21 PM
Subject: Re: mice in the piano


> Lord, now I'm doing it...."mose- infESTED"
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "cook" <cityman1@locnet.net>
> To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Friday, February 17, 2006 12:17 PM
> Subject: Re: mice in the piano
> 
> 
> > 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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