good school pianos

[Michael Magness]

On Wed, Mar 19, 2008 at 12:26 PM, Steven Sandstrom <sandstromsw at hotmail.com>
wrote:

>    The main problem is an unsuitable environment. We go from humidity in
> the low to mid 20 percent range in winter to humidity in the 70-80 percent
> range over the summer. I've tried to explain to them that no piano will hold
> up great under these conditions. Also, at the 3 high school they constantly
> move the pianos around. I think Dampp-Chasers would work good in the middle
> and elementary schools where the pianos stay put in the room.  I would still
> have to convince someone to maintain it. That is the biggest problem I see.
> The pianos they might be buying will not replace any of the Walters or
> Bostons they have bought. They would replace some of the 40-50 year old
> Hamiltons. I was just wondering what has worked good in other schools?
>
>  Thanks for the help,
>  Steve Sandstrom
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> *From:* Greg Newell <gnewell at ameritech.net>
> *To:* 'Pianotech List' <pianotech at ptg.org>
> *Sent:* Wednesday, March 19, 2008 8:10 AM
> *Subject:* RE: good school pianos
>
>  Steve,
>
>                 I didn't respond earlier but I wonder. Is the problem
> unsuitable instruments for your environment or an environment unsuitable for
> your instruments. I've tuned a few Walter pianos and they seem to be rock
> solid once the "break in" period is over. I certainly wouldn't think of
> replacing them for any MDF based box. My 2 cents.
>
>
>
> Greg Newell
>
> Greg's Piano Forté
>
> www.gregspianoforte.com
>
> 216-226-3791 (office)
>
> 216-470-8634 (mobile)
>
>
>
> *From:* pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] *On
> Behalf Of *Steven Sandstrom
> *Sent:* Wednesday, March 19, 2008 8:39 AM
> *To:* pianotech
> *Subject:* good school pianos
>
>
>
>   Thanks to all who responded to my question about good pianos for
> schools. I will mention to them the Sauter and Kawai UST-9 pianos that were
> recommended. I will also try to talk them into Dampp-Chaser systems, at
> least for the new pianos that don't get moved around everyday. I know most
> of these will not be taken care of but there are a few teachers that would
> maintain them. When I started taking care of the pianos at a small college
> again there were 14 pianos that had older Dampp-Chaser systems in them. Of
> those 14 only 2 were plugged in and both of those were never filled with
> water. Even in the piano faculty studio with 2 Steinway "B" pianos the water
> light was always blinking. Any suggestions on how to get people to maintain
> these would help too.
>
>
>
> Thanks, Steve Sandstrom
>
>
Although most of the school pianos I tune are Yamaha P-22's and U-1's, I did
work for a Kawai dealer as a private contractor for over 20 years and have
seen the results of the styran flanges, hammer butts, in some cases the
entire styran action except dowels and keys. It is impervious to humidity
change which also offers a longer wear cycle. When the flanges are worn out
it is easier and cheaper to replace them than to rebush them. The only
caveat is it cannot be glued w/wood glue but instead PVC-E or CA must be
used for gluing hammer shanks to Styran butts, etc. It has also been my
experience that the pinning of action centers is tighter and the friction on
the flanges is tighter than that of other asian makers. I have had minimal
problems with too tight action centers however and again because of the
material(styran)alcohol & water cannot be used but instead a 50/50 mix of
naptha & water should be used as the alcohol & water can cause the styran to
"age" and become brittle. I have had great success with the forerunner to
the current UST-9, the UST-7's and 8's.

I have also had experience with and like, to a lesser degree the Samick
studio piano, not to be confused with other brands made by Samick such as
Kohler & Cambell, Schaeffer & Sons and the like which are made to a
differing set of standards than the Samick. The action is similar to Yamaha,
the keys however have a hardwood "shoe" in addition to a maple keybutton,
important for a school piano. The bridges are laminated rather than solid
which makes for less likelihood of cracks following the pinline. Samick uses
a spring washer under the head of their flange screw to eliminate loose
flanges & "clacking" on the aluminum action rail in areas where the piano
goes from very humid to very dry conditions.

I have four P-22's from the Thomaston,GA plant ca 1986 that I have cared for
since new and they are virually worn out, all have several cracks in the
sounding board, need new hammers, complete action overhauls more than they
are worth since they are the early models from Thomaston and Yamaha has
improved on the design some since these were produced. I rebushed keys,
repinned hammer butts. shaped hammers and regulated them for contest pianos.
Next year they will go to practice rooms and new ones will be purchased, I
have suggested UST-9's.

Mike
-- 
The greatest challenge to any thinker is stating the problem in a way that
will allow a solution.
- Bertrand Russell

Michael Magness
Magness Piano Service
608-786-4404
www.IFixPianos.com
email mike at ifixpianos.com
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