[pianotech] things in pianos

[David Ilvedson]

Your being a little hard on Mr. Whoozits.   He never tuned the top 2 octaves, so how could he have heard the rattling sounds?

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA  94044

----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: "Barbara Richmond" <piano57 at comcast.net>
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Received: 2/14/2010 3:26:03 PM
Subject: Re: [pianotech] things in pianos





>Yahtzee score pads? Now you're talking.... 

>You mean you've never fished out any of those little green army men? 

>I've told this story before, but what the heck, I'm getting older, I'll go ahead and 
>repeat myself. :-) 

>I went to tune the lady's grand piano, and when I got there, I got the feeling that 
>she wasn't too enthused about me. Maybe it was my being young and female--or 
>maybe it was that I charged more that nice, old Mr. Whoozits, who had tuned her 
>piano for years. She left me to my work. I was working away and got to the treble 
>section. I could hear a rattly clunk. I removed the fallboard and a set of car keys 
>was sitting on the piano keys. I called to the owner, asking her if she was missing a 
>set of car keys. She looked incredulous--17 years prior they had bought a new car. 
>The toddler was playing with the car keys and suddenly nobody new where the keys 
>were. They looked everywhere, even took apart duct work, but never could find the 
>keys. All those years Mr. Whoozits either didn't hear the clunk, or never bothered to 
>investigate. heh, heh, heh... 

>The worst I have had to remove, besides barf, was (used) chewing tobacco (dorm 
>piano). 

>Barbara Richmond, RPT 
>near Peoria, Illinois 


>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "Conrad Hoffsommer" <choffsommer at hotmail.com> 
>To: pianotech at ptg.org 
>Sent: Sunday, February 14, 2010 3:49:47 PM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central 
>Subject: Re: [pianotech] things in pianos 


>Stories . . . 


>I once found a huge, really huge, diamond ring in a Steinway L. It had been taped to 
>the under side of the plate, and I dislodged it while cleaning. When I handed it to 
>the piano owner, she was shocked, saying she had totally forgotten about the ring 
>and the guy who had given it to her. 


>How could a guy who gave such a huge ring be that forgettable? 


>D 



>That ring might have been huge to you ... ;-} 


>What follows is a list of thing I found in pianos, mostly during my first 5-10 years in 
>the business. Nothing that would be a surprise to most tuners. Most of which 
>could/did cause rattles. 









>Acorn 
>Afro-comb 
>Allen wrench (1/16") 
>Ankle bracelet 
>Amusement ride token 
>Audio Cassettes (in & without box) 
>Balls:Ping-pong 
>Golf 
>Super 
>wood 
>Band-Aids 
>Barbie purse 
>Barettes 
>Bassoon plaque 
>BB's 
>Belt loops 
>Bicycle chain link 
>Bingo markers 
>Bottles:Glue/mucilage 
>Empty humidifier 
>slide oil 
>Bow tie 
>Bracelet 
>Brazil nuts 
>Buttons 
>Cake candle holder 
>Candle 
>Candy wrappers 
>Cat rabies tag 
>Cereals:Cherrios 
>Cocoa Krispies 
>Chalk 
>Chapstick 
>Checkers 
>Children's:Handkerchief 
>Story book 
>Christmas tree ornament (Broken) 
>" window decal 
>Church programs 
>Cigarette lighter 
>Cigar & Cigarette ashes and butts 
>Clarinet reeds 
>Clarinet reed clamp screw 
>Cloth name patch 
>Clothespins 
>Clothing price tag 
>Coins (Real & play) 
>Cookies 
>Cough drops 
>Coasters 
>Crayons 
>Croutons 
>Decomposing hard candy 
>Dental pick 
>Doll eyes / shoes 
>Name tags 
>Dowel 
>Drain plug (1/4") 
>Drapery hook 
>Drill bit (Broken) 
>Earring pendant 
>Engagement ring 
>Eyeglass case 
>Fabric 
>Felt 
>File 
>Fingernail 
>Food service silverware washing bucket 
>Flag-bearing toothpick 
>Flashbulb 
>Floss pick 
>Furniture brackets 
>Garbage bag tie 
>Guitar picks 
>High school:Hall pass 
>Library card 
>Insole insert 
>Insects - dead & alive 
>Jar full of coins (good hiding 
>place!, but not good enough.) 
>Jigsaw puzzle pieces 
>Jelly bean 
>Ketchup packets 
>Key (Dormroom) 
>Kleenex (Usually used) 
>Leaves & needles 
>Library book label 
>Lip gloss tube 
>Lollipop sticks 
>"Mad" play money 
>M&M's 
>Marbles 
>Masking tape 
>Matches 
>Metronome pendulum weight 
>Mickey Mouse key fob 
>" " book 
>Miniature crosswalk sign 
>Mini-backgammon set 
>Model train scenery 
>Mouse nest (Inhabited) 
>Muffin paper 
>Music 
>" theory flashcard 
>Nailfile 
>Nails:Paneling 
>Finishing 
>Roofing 
>Name tag 
>Necklace 
>Nuprin tablets 
>Nut & bolt 
>Oboe tube 
>Padlock 
>Paper 
>Paper:Airplanes 
>Clips 
>Cups 
>Peanut shells 
>Pens 
>Pencil erasers 
>Pencils 
>Photographic negative (110 size) 
>Pierced earring 
>Pins:Hat 
>Bobby 
>Safety 
>Straight 
>Piano bridge 
>Pistacio shells 
>Pitch pipe 
>Pizza coupon 
>Plastic:Knives 
>Forks 
>Spoons 
>Cups 
>Straws 
>Magnifying glass 
>Labels 
>Dental floss pick 
>Straw (Easter Basket type) 
>Napkin holder 
>Political campaign button 
>Popcorn (unpopped) 
>Popsicle sticks 
>Pop-tops 
>Q-tips 
>Raisin 
>Razor blades 
>Receipt (Cash register tape) 
>Religious medals 
>Rubber bands 
>Regular 
>Orthodontic 
>Salt packets 
>Sea shell 
>Scissors 
>Scotch tape 
>Screw hook 
>Screwdriver 
>Screws 
>Sewing needles 
>Sewing machine needles 
>Shoe insert 
>Silly putty egg 
>Spaghetti (raw) 
>Staples 
>Straw 
>Tail for Pin-the-tail-on-donkey 
>Temporary auto registration 
>Threaded rod (¼"-20) 
>Throat lozenges 
>Thumb tacks 
>Tiddley winks 
>Toilet paper roll 
>Toothbrush 
>Towel 
>Twist ties 
>UFO's (Unidentified found objects) 
>Violin mute - rubber type 
>Water 
>Wine bottle cork wire 
>Wood shavings 
>Wrist watch 
>Yahtsee score pads 


>Conrad