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Temperature transition

  • 1.  Temperature transition

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-16-2018 11:18
    A client is having a valuable piano transported to his studio. The instrument will be in a truck, driving across blazing hot desert all day long (= well over 100 degrees outside, and who knows how hot inside the the trailer).

    The question is this:
    When the piano arrives at his studio, which he normally keeps at 77 degrees, 24/7/365, is there any advantage to having the temperature in the studio higher, "So as not to shock it," and to gradually cool the instrument down (as opposed to just putting it in the 77 degree room)?

    He did ask if he might be overthinking this, and I told him that he probably is.

    Alan

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    Alan Eder, RPT
    Herb Alpert School of Music
    California Institute of the Arts
    Valencia, CA
    661.904.6483
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  • 2.  RE: Temperature transition

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-16-2018 11:53
    Not a bad idea actually. Especially if it makes him feel better about it. At least you can say that every angle was considered in the matter (in case something still goes wrong).

    I would also cover the piano in the truck with many more blankets as a form of insulation against the potential heat. (What if the truck breaks down? Uh-oh...)

    Know what I mean?

    Pwg

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    Peter Grey
    Stratham NH
    603-686-2395
    pianodoctor57@gmail.com
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  • 3.  RE: Temperature transition

    Posted 07-16-2018 14:37
    Would it be easy to have someone take a humidity reading at the current location and at the new studio location? 
    It would be great to minimize the temperature swing, but the humidity changes are what can really cause concern.


    Additional blankets for transport will help reduce both temperature and humidity swings during its journey.  It is common practice when shipping fine acoustic guitars in both summer and winter, to leave the instrument in its case, without opening, for at least 24hrs after unboxing. Slows the temp/humidity swing.

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    Daniel Petrzelka
    Harrowed Strings

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  • 4.  RE: Temperature transition

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-16-2018 14:54
    Hi Daniel,

    Good point about considering humidity as well as temp. differences. This piano is coming from Phoenix, and going to Desert hot Springs (near Palm Springs). So, the RH will probably be fairly constant from start to finish of move.

    Alan

    ------------------------------
    Alan Eder, RPT
    Herb Alpert School of Music
    California Institute of the Arts
    Valencia, CA
    661.904.6483
    ------------------------------



  • 5.  RE: Temperature transition

    Posted 07-16-2018 15:25
    Alan, 

    Both have quite low humidity, however it may be worth taking a close look.
    For example, outside today Phoenix is approx. 31%, while Desert Hot Springs is down at 18%. Climate control will effect these numbers indoors, but just looking at outdoor humidity it crosses the 25% threshold at which many acoustic instruments can suffer. 

    Depending on the value of the instrument, it could be worth discussing humidity control.

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    Daniel Petrzelka


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  • 6.  RE: Temperature transition

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-16-2018 16:14
    Daniel,

    I agree. A humidity-control system is already on site, ready to install as soon as the piano arrives.

    Alan

    ------------------------------
    Alan Eder, RPT
    Herb Alpert School of Music
    California Institute of the Arts
    Valencia, CA
    661.904.6483
    ------------------------------



  • 7.  RE: Temperature transition

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-16-2018 16:26
    My understanding is that there are piano moving companies available who have climate control in their trucks or trailers. There may be trade offs with costs and availability, but I’m pretty sure the option exists. Gary Telleen, Craftsman Piano, in Kansas, transported three instruments and other artifacts from the PTG Foundation Jack Wyatt Museum in Kansas City to the NAMM winter show in Anaheim, then to the NAMM museum in Carlsbad, and then, in early May, back to Kansas City, in his climate controlled vehicle. I would imagine that there are also others who could provide this type of service.
    Claude Harding




  • 8.  RE: Temperature transition

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-16-2018 16:31
    We had a 6' Kawai piano in one of the exam rooms, that came from California, (one we actually used last year), that was 35 cents sharp.  It took Jack Stebbin 6 tunings over a two day period to get it to settle down. Now, we needed that piano right away for exams, but be prepared to spend time, over a period of several weeks, to tune that piano 3 or 4 times, even if it's kept in some sort of climate control.

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    Willem "Wim" Blees, RPT
    Mililani, HI 96789
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  • 9.  RE: Temperature transition

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-16-2018 17:38
    Hi Wim,

    Since there is no need to have the piano in tune immediately, we had planned to put the first tuning on it three weeks after it arrives and has the PLSS installed (and the client, a Wing Nut Emeritus, knows why).

    Alan

    ------------------------------
    Alan Eder, RPT
    Herb Alpert School of Music
    California Institute of the Arts
    Valencia, CA
    661.904.6483
    ------------------------------



  • 10.  RE: Temperature transition

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-16-2018 17:41
    Sounds like the piano I took my exam on. It arrived at the hotel room from a truck just as I did. I guess they did the preparation tuning elsewhere. The room was across the hallway from an indoor swimming pool. The temperature in the room changed from about 65 up to well over 80 by the time they were grading, as the sun started beating on the west window. They asked if I wanted the air conditioner, and I was afraid it would change the tuning. (what for dumb?) It was a Young Chang, by the way.

    So much for a glorious score -- everything was fine except the temperament which had several errors barely over 1 cent. I was lucky to have slipped past that nearly disastrous RPT tuning exam (my first and only) by a couple of points. The guys running the exam were sweating, too, and were as diplomatic as they knew how to be.

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    Susan Kline
    Philomath, Oregon
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  • 11.  RE: Temperature transition

    Posted 07-16-2018 17:49
    There's a company near me that keeps their pianos in storage containers. 107 degrees outside so it must be 130 in those containers. Doesn't seem to hurt them i guess.  Rather than worry about the temp or humidity, i would be more concerned about hiring piano movers that are good at what they do.  Nothing like seeing that Brand new Bosendorfer on its lid on the ground from falling off the back of a truck. Google it. I just got hired to replace broken pedals on an upright because some amateur movers. 
    My experience is a piano needs to acclimate to the new room no matter what you do.
    Good Luck
    -chris

    Chernobieff Piano Restorations

    Chris Chernobieff ( pronounced chur-no-bif )
    Lenoir City, Tennessee 
    email: chrisppff@gmail.com
    Follow on:  Facebook
    phone: 865-986-7720





    On Mon, Jul 16, 2018 at 5:41 PM, Susan Kline via Piano Technicians Guild






  • 12.  RE: Temperature transition

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-16-2018 17:59
    Chris,

    I'm thinking that the temperatures for this move will be very similar to those in the storage scenario that you describe. Not so sure, however, that just because these guys do it that way, it is safe to assume that it does no harm. (Besides, you know what they say abut the word "assume"…)

    And thanks for your blessings for a safe journey. It is a brand new concert grand, and we don't want it to age prematurely before it is even delivered!

    Alan

    P. S. I've seen that picture of the dropped Bosie. Yoikes!

    ------------------------------
    Alan Eder, RPT
    Herb Alpert School of Music
    California Institute of the Arts
    Valencia, CA
    661.904.6483
    ------------------------------



  • 13.  RE: Temperature transition

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-17-2018 15:54
    I remember one year at MTNA a Kawai concert grand was being unloaded and it fell over.  It took Don Manino all night to get the piano playable and I think it eventually was sent back to Japan to be rebuilt.

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    Clarence Zeches
    Piano Service Enterprise School of Technology
    Toccoa GA
    706-886-4035
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  • 14.  RE: Temperature transition

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-16-2018 17:36
    We hadn't thought of that, Claude. Thanks for the suggestion!

    Alan

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    Alan Eder, RPT
    Herb Alpert School of Music
    California Institute of the Arts
    Valencia, CA
    661.904.6483
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  • 15.  RE: Temperature transition

    Posted 07-16-2018 22:58
    We use dataloggers to track temp, rh, movement, etc.  Might be a good idea for the transport?

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    Ted Rohde
    Central Illinois
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  • 16.  RE: Temperature transition

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-16-2018 23:25
    I'll suggest it, Ted. It would be interesting to know what the conditions inside that truck turn out to be.

    Alan

    ------------------------------
    Alan Eder, RPT
    Herb Alpert School of Music
    California Institute of the Arts
    Valencia, CA
    661.904.6483
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  • 17.  RE: Temperature transition

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-17-2018 06:43
    Why not drive at night?

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    William Truitt
    Bridgewater NH
    603-744-2277
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  • 18.  RE: Temperature transition

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-17-2018 07:36
    Great minds.., Will. I agree that a night crossing of the desert would be far preferable (as stated in response to Fred's post yesterday).

    Alan

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    Alan Eder, RPT
    Herb Alpert School of Music
    California Institute of the Arts
    Valencia, CA
    661.904.6483
    ------------------------------