Chinese made Yamaha P22s - update

[Conrad Hoffsommer]

11/29/07, Conrad Hoffsommer wrote on pianotech:
cross-posting to CAUT
> Folks, 
> I just ordered 2 new Yamaha P22s for the school. The folks at the store 
> assure me that the quality of the Chinese assembled units is on a par 
> with the Georgian ones.
> 
> Any comments, yeah or nay?


I got the following responses:

> Last spring our chapter got to examine a Thomaston P22 and a Chinese P22 
side-by-sided at the local Yamaha dealer.  Very little difference 
between the two, and nothing I would call a "quality" difference.   I 
didn't like the Chinese regulation, but they did it consistently to all 
88 notes.  It will be interesting to see what 10 years in a midwest 
college practice room does to yours....
> 
> Mike 
--
>The few we have received were better than the Georgia models.  No jumpy/snappy pins. A  lot less false in the treble. 2 pianos is hardly a good sample, but first indications are good.
> 
> Regards Roger


I now have received them and am in the process of getting them ready for 
use (tuning and Dampp-Chaser installation).

I find that they are NOT Dampp-Chaser friendly.

You CANNOT push the dehumidifier rod holding (push)-pins into the side 
of the case.  You cannot HAMMER the pins into the case. (Bending or 
breaking the pins are the only possible results with those methods.) You 
must pre-drill the holes. (I happened to have a #57 bit which seemed to 
work OK)

Why?  Because the core of the panels is no longer wood. It is a small 
amount of fiber holding a large amount of glue together. (Did Yamaha buy 
Kimball methods?)

OK, OK, so they've gone to a heavier piano and I've dealt with it, but 
after I'd finished the install (I thought) and went to put the lower 
panel back on, I found that there is not enough clearance for the fill 
tube between the panel and the bottom of the keybed. Some carving of the 
underside of the keybed will be necessary to give it room.

Happy Monday... ;-{

-- 
Conrad Hoffsommer, RPT - Keyboard Technician
Luther College, 700 College Dr., Decorah, Iowa 52101-1045
1-(563)-387-1204 // Fax 1-(563)-387-1076