[pianotech] The buzz that comes and goes...

[Carl Teplitski]

Diane/Bill;

Once had a buzz in a " Yamaha " teaching piano . The teacher in that
room insisted there was a buzz, but I couldn't hear it.  I would go there
in the AM in order to avoid the room when students would be there.
Turns out the buzz was only there in the PM.  Actually heard it one day
and was able to track it to the keyboard area.  I took all the keys out. 
Sure
enough, there was a ladies hair pin laying on the keybed. Some dust was also
present, not a lot .   I put the keys back that seemed to make the buzz most 
often,
as I was told, and touched the pin, while playing them.     Eureka ! ! 
What most
surprised me , was that the keybed actually vibrated,  because I didn't 
think  it
did, (?)  when piano was played . ( of course it would ). In any case, 
problem solved.

" NO MORE BUZZ."


Carl / Winnipeg, Canada.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Diane Hofstetter" <dianepianotuner at msn.com>
To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, February 13, 2010 12:29 AM
Subject: [pianotech] The buzz that comes and goes...



Bill,

Wim's idea to check for intermittent buzz, as a possible consequence of 
humidity changes, (based on your description of the times it does/doesn't 
buzz) sounds like good advice to me.

I once chased such a buzz for almost 6 months on a Baldwin SD-10 in a very 
old auditorium.  whenever the conditions were damp, no buzz.  When dry, 
buzz.  This could change hourly, even while I was working, so I never 
realized it for the longest while.  I kept thinking I finally had solved 
it--each time I finished tightening some new piece of hardware and the buzz 
went away.

Finally, finally I found it: the small, round, black knob off of the 
microphone that had been hovering over the strings for a recording.  The 
knob fell off, rolled under the plate and lodged in the darkest corner 
between the plate and soundboard, round black side out.  My light never did 
find it.  And I searched under the plate many times.

When the soundboard swelled, it lodged the knob between plate and board; 
when it dried out, the knob was free to vibrate on the board.

Happy Hunting!  Hope you solve it without too many trips far away!
Diane




Bill
With as cold as it has been, the heat is on constantly, and even more so 
during the night. I have a feeling the buzz is caused by something that 
contracts or expands when the heat comes on, like the heating vents.
Wim


Diane Hofstetter      =