Flooded Bass String Question

[Spencer Brewer]

I used to have quite a number of piano jobs out of insurance claims as
several companies got my name in the bay area years ago, so I got all their
jobs. In those many years, Yamaha was consistently (especially the C series
line) the one brand that held up miraculously to extreme tragic conditions.

In the case of the one I explained about earlier this week, now 10 days
later all is tight on the piano, no glue joints loose, just all the felt and
adjustments that are needed are still there. The bass string question is
still swirling around, though the opinions thus far expressed have been
helpful.

Thanks,

Spencer Brewer
Mendocino Piano

> From: "TOM DRISCOLL" <tomtuner@verizon.net>
> Reply-To: Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Date: Fri, 06 Jan 2006 07:16:09 -0500
> To: <joegarrett@earthlink.net>, "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Subject: Re: Flooded Bass String Question
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Joseph Garrett
> To: pianotech 
> Sent: Friday, January 06, 2006 2:28 AM
> Subject: Re: Flooded Bass String Question
> 
> 
> 
> Spencer,
> IMO the strings are the least of your problems.
> If the piano was wet for that long , It's my opinion that things will
> start coming apart before too much longer.
> I might be all wet here--Sorry-- but soundboards ,bridges and water
> don't mix well.
> Tom Driscoll RPT 
> 
> Tom and Spencer,
> It's a Yamaha! I truly doubt there would be any problem with the case coming
> apart in those circumstances. My Daughter has a P-2 that was in a Gym fire.
> the treble end was afire, as were the keys! The piano was immersed in 2 feet
> of water for a while, in the process of putting out the fire. Once the fire
> was out the piano was lifted out of the pyre with a fork lift and set, (very
> uncerimoniously), out in the parking lot. It sat there for 4 days while the
> idiot school bean counters decided if they wanted to sell it to me. While all
> that was going on, some well-meaning soul opened the top to let it "air out"!
> This is Oregon. The natural thing happened....It rained. The only damage was
> to the dampers and hammers. (The hammers were actually improved with the
> rain!<G>)
> This happened about 25 years ago. I never felt comfortable about selling the
> piano, so I gave it to my Daughter, just in case it decided to self-destruct.
> It hasn't! I tune it and it's JUST FINE. No evidence of any structural damage
> what-so-ever! Them Yamamas is tough, in that regard.
> Regards,
> 
> Joe Garrett, R.P.T. (Oregon)
> Captain, Tool Police
> Squares R I
> 
> Joe,
> That is interesting ---and encouraging.
> My experience with a G1 getting a similar treatment from a broken pipe in 1982
> was not so positive. Cracking SB, bridge to soundboard glue joint failure
> etc., but it was only one event on one piano.     I sit --- hopefully for
> Spencer ---  corrected
> Best wishes,
> Tom Driscoll 
> 
> 
>