Pianotech

The piano went to Burning Man. During the dusty part of the first days, I stayed in the Yurt and repinned most of the wippens.
The problem is not just tight pinning but machining of the birdseyes. One side was rounded like normal but the other side looked like the top of an open can. A sharp ridge instead of rounded over. I smoothed those out but didn't want to take too much off, creating slop. 
It helped a lot on how it played.

All I can say is the Playa sucks out all moisture beyond anywhere else. 
Another day and it wasn't repeating well while I was tuning. Many hammers were starting to wobble heading to the strings.  One hammer had moved over and was missing a wire. I pushed it over and a few blows and it moved back. Hmmm, usually you hear a clicking noise when the flanges are loose. 
I tightened all the hammer flange screws and BOOM!! It was playing like a dream.

We had a morning guy playing jazz standards,, Duke, Miles, and our camp guy got his alto sax. Coffee shop stuff.
Then it was classical mornings all week. Chopin, Debussy. All with no sheet music. 
Every piano player that sat down was hooked. Singer song writers,, pros, amateurs, 
The late night jams went until sunrise. Horn players. We had a trombone, 2 trumpets, sax players. Clarinet, violin.
David Raitt provided some great vocals, drums, guitar, bass, and so on,,,
That Baldwin was really appreciated. It was hailed as the best piano on the Playa. It was singing nicely with a perfect 12th tuning. 



------------------------------
Keith Roberts
owner
Hathaway Pines CA
(209) 770-4312
------------------------------

Wow. That's quite the tuning gig!

------------------------------
Steven Rosenthal RPT
Honolulu HI
(808) 521-7129
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-10-2022 15:36
From: Keith Roberts
Subject: 90's Baldwin Hamilton follow up

The piano went to Burning Man. During the dusty part of the first days, I stayed in the Yurt and repinned most of the wippens.
The problem is not just tight pinning but machining of the birdseyes. One side was rounded like normal but the other side looked like the top of an open can. A sharp ridge instead of rounded over. I smoothed those out but didn't want to take too much off, creating slop.
It helped a lot on how it played.

All I can say is the Playa sucks out all moisture beyond anywhere else.
Another day and it wasn't repeating well while I was tuning. Many hammers were starting to wobble heading to the strings.  One hammer had moved over and was missing a wire. I pushed it over and a few blows and it moved back. Hmmm, usually you hear a clicking noise when the flanges are loose.
I tightened all the hammer flange screws and BOOM!! It was playing like a dream.

We had a morning guy playing jazz standards,, Duke, Miles, and our camp guy got his alto sax. Coffee shop stuff.
Then it was classical mornings all week. Chopin, Debussy. All with no sheet music.
Every piano player that sat down was hooked. Singer song writers,, pros, amateurs,
The late night jams went until sunrise. Horn players. We had a trombone, 2 trumpets, sax players. Clarinet, violin.
David Raitt provided some great vocals, drums, guitar, bass, and so on,,,
That Baldwin was really appreciated. It was hailed as the best piano on the Playa. It was singing nicely with a perfect 12th tuning.



------------------------------
Keith Roberts
owner
Hathaway Pines CA
(209) 770-4312
------------------------------

It's a gig that's not for everybody. I happen to be in an old school camp. They know what they are doing and what to expect. One guy sets up a shower and evaporation pond. Our 40 ft  Hex Yurt is rated at 140mph.
They looked at my shabby shade shelter and told me to leave it all at home next year. They are going to set me up with a shelter. I bring the piano in my 6 x 10 high top covered cargo trailer. Then I convert it into a bedroom for the 10 days out there. It's only my 7th burn.
In 2017, Larry Harvey passed and he had scheduled the 400 drones that flew at the olympics in China. As a memorial they did the show. They were synched with a Dutch composer/ artist and he wanted a Yamaha or Kawai. They went to Reno and got a U1. At the end, they didn't want to deal with the piano so they gave it to me for getting it off the playa. Nice piano. My favorite to play.


------------------------------
Keith Roberts
owner
Hathaway Pines CA
(209) 770-4312
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-10-2022 22:45
From: Steven Rosenthal
Subject: 90's Baldwin Hamilton follow up

Wow. That's quite the tuning gig!

------------------------------
Steven Rosenthal RPT
Honolulu HI
(808) 521-7129

Original Message:
Sent: 09-10-2022 15:36
From: Keith Roberts
Subject: 90's Baldwin Hamilton follow up

The piano went to Burning Man. During the dusty part of the first days, I stayed in the Yurt and repinned most of the wippens.
The problem is not just tight pinning but machining of the birdseyes. One side was rounded like normal but the other side looked like the top of an open can. A sharp ridge instead of rounded over. I smoothed those out but didn't want to take too much off, creating slop.
It helped a lot on how it played.

All I can say is the Playa sucks out all moisture beyond anywhere else.
Another day and it wasn't repeating well while I was tuning. Many hammers were starting to wobble heading to the strings.  One hammer had moved over and was missing a wire. I pushed it over and a few blows and it moved back. Hmmm, usually you hear a clicking noise when the flanges are loose.
I tightened all the hammer flange screws and BOOM!! It was playing like a dream.

We had a morning guy playing jazz standards,, Duke, Miles, and our camp guy got his alto sax. Coffee shop stuff.
Then it was classical mornings all week. Chopin, Debussy. All with no sheet music.
Every piano player that sat down was hooked. Singer song writers,, pros, amateurs,
The late night jams went until sunrise. Horn players. We had a trombone, 2 trumpets, sax players. Clarinet, violin.
David Raitt provided some great vocals, drums, guitar, bass, and so on,,,
That Baldwin was really appreciated. It was hailed as the best piano on the Playa. It was singing nicely with a perfect 12th tuning.



------------------------------
Keith Roberts
owner
Hathaway Pines CA
(209) 770-4312
------------------------------

Were you there in 2016? I think I played your piano. What is the camp name? I remember them giving out soup.

------------------------------
John Pope
University of Kentucky School of Music
Lexington, KY
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-11-2022 12:23
From: Keith Roberts
Subject: 90's Baldwin Hamilton follow up

It's a gig that's not for everybody. I happen to be in an old school camp. They know what they are doing and what to expect. One guy sets up a shower and evaporation pond. Our 40 ft  Hex Yurt is rated at 140mph.
They looked at my shabby shade shelter and told me to leave it all at home next year. They are going to set me up with a shelter. I bring the piano in my 6 x 10 high top covered cargo trailer. Then I convert it into a bedroom for the 10 days out there. It's only my 7th burn.
In 2017, Larry Harvey passed and he had scheduled the 400 drones that flew at the olympics in China. As a memorial they did the show. They were synched with a Dutch composer/ artist and he wanted a Yamaha or Kawai. They went to Reno and got a U1. At the end, they didn't want to deal with the piano so they gave it to me for getting it off the playa. Nice piano. My favorite to play.


------------------------------
Keith Roberts
owner
Hathaway Pines CA
(209) 770-4312

Original Message:
Sent: 09-10-2022 22:45
From: Steven Rosenthal
Subject: 90's Baldwin Hamilton follow up

Wow. That's quite the tuning gig!

------------------------------
Steven Rosenthal RPT
Honolulu HI
(808) 521-7129

Original Message:
Sent: 09-10-2022 15:36
From: Keith Roberts
Subject: 90's Baldwin Hamilton follow up

The piano went to Burning Man. During the dusty part of the first days, I stayed in the Yurt and repinned most of the wippens.
The problem is not just tight pinning but machining of the birdseyes. One side was rounded like normal but the other side looked like the top of an open can. A sharp ridge instead of rounded over. I smoothed those out but didn't want to take too much off, creating slop.
It helped a lot on how it played.

All I can say is the Playa sucks out all moisture beyond anywhere else.
Another day and it wasn't repeating well while I was tuning. Many hammers were starting to wobble heading to the strings.  One hammer had moved over and was missing a wire. I pushed it over and a few blows and it moved back. Hmmm, usually you hear a clicking noise when the flanges are loose.
I tightened all the hammer flange screws and BOOM!! It was playing like a dream.

We had a morning guy playing jazz standards,, Duke, Miles, and our camp guy got his alto sax. Coffee shop stuff.
Then it was classical mornings all week. Chopin, Debussy. All with no sheet music.
Every piano player that sat down was hooked. Singer song writers,, pros, amateurs,
The late night jams went until sunrise. Horn players. We had a trombone, 2 trumpets, sax players. Clarinet, violin.
David Raitt provided some great vocals, drums, guitar, bass, and so on,,,
That Baldwin was really appreciated. It was hailed as the best piano on the Playa. It was singing nicely with a perfect 12th tuning.



------------------------------
Keith Roberts
owner
Hathaway Pines CA
(209) 770-4312
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 9/12/2022 12:46:00 PM
From: John Pope
Subject: RE: 90's Baldwin Hamilton follow up

Were you there in 2016? I think I played your piano. What is the camp name? I remember them giving out soup.

------------------------------
John Pope
University of Kentucky School of Music
Lexington, KY
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-11-2022 12:23
From: Keith Roberts
Subject: 90's Baldwin Hamilton follow up

It's a gig that's not for everybody. I happen to be in an old school camp. They know what they are doing and what to expect. One guy sets up a shower and evaporation pond. Our 40 ft  Hex Yurt is rated at 140mph.
They looked at my shabby shade shelter and told me to leave it all at home next year. They are going to set me up with a shelter. I bring the piano in my 6 x 10 high top covered cargo trailer. Then I convert it into a bedroom for the 10 days out there. It's only my 7th burn.
In 2017, Larry Harvey passed and he had scheduled the 400 drones that flew at the olympics in China. As a memorial they did the show. They were synched with a Dutch composer/ artist and he wanted a Yamaha or Kawai. They went to Reno and got a U1. At the end, they didn't want to deal with the piano so they gave it to me for getting it off the playa. Nice piano. My favorite to play.


------------------------------
Keith Roberts
owner
Hathaway Pines CA
(209) 770-4312

Original Message:
Sent: 09-10-2022 22:45
From: Steven Rosenthal
Subject: 90's Baldwin Hamilton follow up

Wow. That's quite the tuning gig!

------------------------------
Steven Rosenthal RPT
Honolulu HI
(808) 521-7129

Original Message:
Sent: 09-10-2022 15:36
From: Keith Roberts
Subject: 90's Baldwin Hamilton follow up

The piano went to Burning Man. During the dusty part of the first days, I stayed in the Yurt and repinned most of the wippens.
The problem is not just tight pinning but machining of the birdseyes. One side was rounded like normal but the other side looked like the top of an open can. A sharp ridge instead of rounded over. I smoothed those out but didn't want to take too much off, creating slop.
It helped a lot on how it played.

All I can say is the Playa sucks out all moisture beyond anywhere else.
Another day and it wasn't repeating well while I was tuning. Many hammers were starting to wobble heading to the strings.  One hammer had moved over and was missing a wire. I pushed it over and a few blows and it moved back. Hmmm, usually you hear a clicking noise when the flanges are loose.
I tightened all the hammer flange screws and BOOM!! It was playing like a dream.

We had a morning guy playing jazz standards,, Duke, Miles, and our camp guy got his alto sax. Coffee shop stuff.
Then it was classical mornings all week. Chopin, Debussy. All with no sheet music.
Every piano player that sat down was hooked. Singer song writers,, pros, amateurs,
The late night jams went until sunrise. Horn players. We had a trombone, 2 trumpets, sax players. Clarinet, violin.
David Raitt provided some great vocals, drums, guitar, bass, and so on,,,
That Baldwin was really appreciated. It was hailed as the best piano on the Playa. It was singing nicely with a perfect 12th tuning.



------------------------------
Keith Roberts
owner
Hathaway Pines CA
(209) 770-4312
------------------------------