"Seasoned For Destination"

[Paul McCloud]

I believe that this topic came up some time ago.  You could search the archives about it.  Our store has sold these "grey market" pianos for years, and I've not heard of any failures.  A few of these pianos had fairly loose pins, which is not unusual for 30+ year-old pianos.  Of course, the local climate here in San Diego isn't overly dry either.  Personally, I don't understand why Yamaha doesn't supply parts for these pianos, because sales of parts would increase.  We get around it anyway (just keep a handy serial number handy), so why not carry them?  They can't stop imports, so why not go along and sell the parts?  
As far as drying them out for Western climates AFTER they're built, I'm not an engineer but it doesn't make sense to me.  I guess that if there aren't failures in the factory, there won't be in the field.

Paul McCloud
Service Technician for PianoSD.com
www.pianoservsd.com 
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----- Original Message ----- 
From: Bruce Gibson Piano Technician 
To: hpp at highpointpiano.com;Pianotech List
Sent: 09/11/2008 8:19:39 AM 
Subject: RE: "Seasoned For Destination"


Thanks Garret.
 
I read, recently, that the pianos (after they are built) destined for North America are placed in huge drying rooms and dried down to a low humidity content. Years ago I was under the impression ALL parts were dried down BEFORE the pianos were built. Regardless, surely the pianos destined for North America will absorb moisture (wood cells expand) on their trek across the ocean and then, when they get into our dry interiors, the wood cells will shrink again. Wouldn’t those cells shrink even beyond the lower humidity limit set by Yamaha in the factory if the piano(s) ends up in a place that is below Yamaha’s lowest limit?
 
My basic question is this: Will a piano built for the Japanese market be any worse off in North America. If so, why? If not, Why?
 
Bruce Gibson
Saskatoon, Canada
 
From: Garret Traylor [mailto:hpp at highpointpiano.com] 
Sent: September 11, 2008 6:00 AM
To: bruce at bgpianotech.com; 'Pianotech List'
Subject: RE: "Seasoned For Destination"
 
Bruce,
This concept of “Seasoned for Destination” is marketing hooey designed to protect Yamaha USA from imports.  The marketing tactic smacks in the face of science, experience, and common sense. 
 
Reference Hadley Cell http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadley_cell 
Essentially, the earth has rings or bands of weather (polar, mid latitude and inter tropical).  Were instruments “seasoned for destination” to reflect actual global weather conditions then instruments would be labeled not by country but by desert, temperate, or tropic categories.  North America shares similar weather conditions as the rest of the globe.  Instruments could be made for a specific geography but the cost would bee to high for manufacturers, parts do all come from the same bin at factories.  In addition, I have taken tours of piano factories in Inchon, Hamamatsu, and Thomaston and have seen that humidity controls are far from strict as some might guess and parts are not segregated.  The action parts for Japan are the same as parts destined for other parts of the world.  
 
Dampp-Chaser Climate Control Systems should be an essential consideration for pianos in environments that warrant control over high and/or low humidity.
 
Also, I have lived in Japan and the United States and have serviced a wide variety of American, Japanese and European instruments; the occasional “bad instrument” was not due to the quality of the instrument but do to the poor maintenance practices for that given instrument; we run into this every day.
 
Kindest Regards,
Garret 
---
Garret Traylor - President
High Point Piano & Music Inc.
88-PIANO (336) 887-4266
 
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Bruce Gibson Piano Technician
Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2008 2:26 AM
To: Pianotech List
Subject: "Seasoned For Destination"
 
Hello Everyone,
 
Is there anyone out there that can explain the “seasoned for destination” process that Yamaha advertises. I’m really quite interested in “science” and not propaganda, so please back up your statements with some quality research that has been done.
 
Thanks a million.
 
Bruce Gibson
Saskatoon, Canada
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