Whether the weather?

[Conrad Hoffsommer]

At 07:59 AM 1/31/2006 -0500, you wrote:

>On Jan 31, 2006, at 6:37 AM, Conrad Hoffsommer wrote:
>>
>>The mantra that I recall hearing many years ago was that, here in
>>the US, central heating (somehow claimed to be more of a dessicant
>>than other ways of keeping warm) is more common.
>
>Well, it happens to be true! My experience goes back to a couple
>visits to Taiwan in the 70s; during 1978 I was the piano technician
>for the College of Chinese Culture outside Taipei. Winters were damp
>and chilly, and warm, dry rooms were far from commonplace. One would
>make a practice of visiting slightly warmer locations (cafeteria
>perhaps, or the main office for the music department). Heating was
>usually from propane or electric space heaters. Holding a cup of tea
>was a way to warm up your hands! No heat in the tiny practice rooms
>-- hey the kids were burning enough calories practicing for hours why
>would they complain about being cold!? We worn cotton padded jackets
>all the time not because they looked cool but because they kept us warm!
>So -- there was no point in seasoning the wood more aggressively than
>they did at the time. Yes, the 70s was a long time ago, but many of
>the grey market pianos are from that era, and here in centrally
>heated New England their soundboards and pinblocks fail over their
>first winter here. And much of China is still way more "undeveloped"
>than Taiwan was in the 70s.
>
>Patrick Draine
>aka Di Bode


Part of my point, I think, and I agree with you.  We may be talking past 
each other. You say "warm, dry rooms were far from commonplace".  Had the 
rooms been warmed up to what in more places than the US would be considered 
comfortable, it wouldn't matter how they got that warm.  Were the '70s era, 
euro-destined pianos relegated to the same fate as the US-bound ones?

>Happy New Year -- Year of the Dog!
>______________________________________________


Conrad (of a long gone Rooster year)