Pianotech

Today I tuned a seldom used 100 year old Steinway M style grand. It was actually a little sharp in pitch --- no problem there. It had mild verdigris on 4 or 5 hammers. I pulled the action and lubed all ham/flanges. They responded well enough. So, after going to my car for water and to make sure the windows were cracked in the Arizona 100+ heat, I returned to the piano, finished the work and reassembled the instrument. At this point I realized that my lubricant and head lamp were missing. I can't find them anywhere! OMG! I will need to reopen the piano to see what I left inside. At this point I'm getting stressed. The action was a grunt to remove the first time and this time I broke the B7 hammer in my haste. 

So after returning from my car a second time with repair parts, the owner walks in holding my flange lube syringe and head lamp. Turns out his dogs had absconded with them. Fortunately the hammer was an easy brass-sleeve fix but the damage to my psyche -- not so much.    

So, I ask "How was your day?'

Randy

------------------------------
Randy Prentice RPT
Tucson AZ
(520) 749-3788
------------------------------

I am recovering from my day yesterday. Had to tune a nice Yamaha C3 Conservatory Grand and adjusted letoff on all of the bass notes> Pianist described the bass as "mushy"  I told her I would see what I could do. Well thanks to the letoff tip that the late David Anderson taught when she played it she was ecstatic . There is a concert there tomorrow evening with lots of Debussy  pieces . Next job of the day was a Wurlitzer spinet. Had to take out two little screws off the front of the lid which curved down behind the music desk. Then there are 2 screws holding down the board the music desk is attached. All this after taking 2 pictures, several baseballs , fake flowers, some empty cups . Hammers had deep string cuts and flat strike points, multiple loose tuning pins , bobbling hammers all over , one peeling hammer felt. I made the thing sound better but forget trying to give it all it really needed. I had to use a hidden key to get in the house. Finally the Dad shows up and i have a talk. Sounds like his son is very musical has been taking lessons for two years, is working on scales, can read music. He had a huge drum set in a back room and plays them well. Anyway I encouraged him to shop for a good console or studio panel. He got the PSO free.  I have to look up my customer list because prior owner and donor said I had worked on it 

------------------------------
James Kelly
Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
Pawleys Island SC
(843) 325-4357
------------------------------

I started yesterday on a 1946 Weaver spinet. I tuned it as good as I could, but had to tell the owner that the piano has lived its life. Completely out of regulation, some loose bridge pins beyond CA glue assistance, some loose tuning pins and I suspect a crack in the pinblock in the high treble. I tuned an 80s Kimball after that, which went ok. My last stop was a 1908 Steinway upright with "a key that doesn't stop ringing and one that doesn't play." The owner was kind enough to tell me Eb2 and G6 when I asked. It turned out that center pins had worked their way out of the famous double flanges and this was my first experience with them. I spent more time fixing these notes than I spent tuning the Kimball. 😂 When I returned home, I continued regulating a Kawai 607 console that I will flip. I did mention to the customer with the Weaver that I would have one to sell in the near future and after seeing a photo she said to let her know when it was ready.

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Tim Foster
New Oxford PA
(470) 231-6074
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-13-2023 19:38
From: James Kelly
Subject: A day in the Life

I am recovering from my day yesterday. Had to tune a nice Yamaha C3 Conservatory Grand and adjusted letoff on all of the bass notes> Pianist described the bass as "mushy"  I told her I would see what I could do. Well thanks to the letoff tip that the late David Anderson taught when she played it she was ecstatic . There is a concert there tomorrow evening with lots of Debussy  pieces . Next job of the day was a Wurlitzer spinet. Had to take out two little screws off the front of the lid which curved down behind the music desk. Then there are 2 screws holding down the board the music desk is attached. All this after taking 2 pictures, several baseballs , fake flowers, some empty cups . Hammers had deep string cuts and flat strike points, multiple loose tuning pins , bobbling hammers all over , one peeling hammer felt. I made the thing sound better but forget trying to give it all it really needed. I had to use a hidden key to get in the house. Finally the Dad shows up and i have a talk. Sounds like his son is very musical has been taking lessons for two years, is working on scales, can read music. He had a huge drum set in a back room and plays them well. Anyway I encouraged him to shop for a good console or studio panel. He got the PSO free.  I have to look up my customer list because prior owner and donor said I had worked on it 

------------------------------
James Kelly
Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
Pawleys Island SC
(843) 325-4357
------------------------------

Here's my bummer story for the week:
I'm almost done restringing the bass on a 1905 O. It's going great, new pins feel good, I remembered to put the wires through the agraffes, yada yada. 5 more to go. 4 more. 3 more. 2 more. 1 more string to go! I can do it! All I have to do is NOT SCREW IT UP! It's a fly ball to the pitcher, the big trout is almost in the net.

Anyone remember that Larson cartoon with the character, a symphony percussionist, saying to himself as he gets ready to play his one note on the triangle, "I'm not going to screw up!!" The caption reads, "Roger screws up."

Anyway, A0 is wrapped around the new pin, I hammer it in. Wait, why is it chattering like that when I turn it?

Maybe if I turn it out, take off the coil, get a little more chalk on the threads? Yeah, right…

I attempt to wrestle the coil back on, and the beckett snaps right off. Oh well, 41/42. That's a 97%, though right? I still get a A+?

------------------------------
Scott Cole, RPT
rvpianotuner.com
Talent, OR
(541-601-9033
------------------------------

Damn! The heaviest string in the entire piano. I have to wonder what you did to remedy the situation. Form a new beckett? Splice the string? Either way, it's a wrist killer.

------------------------------
Randy Prentice RPT
Tucson AZ
(520) 749-3788
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-14-2023 10:10
From: Scott Cole
Subject: A day in the Life

Here's my bummer story for the week:
I'm almost done restringing the bass on a 1905 O. It's going great, new pins feel good, I remembered to put the wires through the agraffes, yada yada. 5 more to go. 4 more. 3 more. 2 more. 1 more string to go! I can do it! All I have to do is NOT SCREW IT UP! It's a fly ball to the pitcher, the big trout is almost in the net.

Anyone remember that Larson cartoon with the character, a symphony percussionist, saying to himself as he gets ready to play his one note on the triangle, "I'm not going to screw up!!" The caption reads, "Roger screws up."

Anyway, A0 is wrapped around the new pin, I hammer it in. Wait, why is it chattering like that when I turn it?

Maybe if I turn it out, take off the coil, get a little more chalk on the threads? Yeah, right…

I attempt to wrestle the coil back on, and the beckett snaps right off. Oh well, 41/42. That's a 97%, though right? I still get a A+?

------------------------------
Scott Cole, RPT
rvpianotuner.com
Talent, OR
(541-601-9033
------------------------------

I wrestled with it but couldn't get a becket straight enough to go in. I briefly considered a slice, but it seemed kinda cheesy to have a splice in a new set.
I've ordered a new string.


Original Message:
Sent: 7/14/2023 10:32:00 AM
From: Randy Prentice
Subject: RE: A day in the Life

Damn! The heaviest string in the entire piano. I have to wonder what you did to remedy the situation. Form a new beckett? Splice the string? Either way, it's a wrist killer.

------------------------------
Randy Prentice RPT
Tucson AZ
(520) 749-3788
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 7/14/2023 7:04:00 PM
From: Scott Cole
Subject: RE: A day in the Life

I wrestled with it but couldn't get a becket straight enough to go in. I briefly considered a slice, but it seemed kinda cheesy to have a splice in a new set.
I've ordered a new string.



Original Message:
Sent: 7/14/2023 10:32:00 AM
From: Randy Prentice
Subject: RE: A day in the Life

Damn! The heaviest string in the entire piano. I have to wonder what you did to remedy the situation. Form a new beckett? Splice the string? Either way, it's a wrist killer.

------------------------------
Randy Prentice RPT
Tucson AZ
(520) 749-3788
------------------------------

BTW, When splicing low bass strings its fine to go down 2 or 3 wire sizes for easier handling. Tension does not change on wound strings when decreasing wire diameter.

------------------------------
Tremaine Parsons RPT
Georgetown CA
(530) 333-9299
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-14-2023 19:09
From: Randy Prentice
Subject: A day in the Life

Best way to go for sure.

Randy Prentice Piano Service
520-749-3788

Original Message:
Sent: 7/14/2023 7:04:00 PM
From: Scott Cole
Subject: RE: A day in the Life

I wrestled with it but couldn't get a becket straight enough to go in. I briefly considered a slice, but it seemed kinda cheesy to have a splice in a new set.
I've ordered a new string.



Original Message:
Sent: 7/14/2023 10:32:00 AM
From: Randy Prentice
Subject: RE: A day in the Life

Damn! The heaviest string in the entire piano. I have to wonder what you did to remedy the situation. Form a new beckett? Splice the string? Either way, it's a wrist killer.

------------------------------
Randy Prentice RPT
Tucson AZ
(520) 749-3788
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 07-14-2023 10:10
From: Scott Cole
Subject: A day in the Life

Here's my bummer story for the week:
I'm almost done restringing the bass on a 1905 O. It's going great, new pins feel good, I remembered to put the wires through the agraffes, yada yada. 5 more to go. 4 more. 3 more. 2 more. 1 more string to go! I can do it! All I have to do is NOT SCREW IT UP! It's a fly ball to the pitcher, the big trout is almost in the net.

Anyone remember that Larson cartoon with the character, a symphony percussionist, saying to himself as he gets ready to play his one note on the triangle, "I'm not going to screw up!!" The caption reads, "Roger screws up."

Anyway, A0 is wrapped around the new pin, I hammer it in. Wait, why is it chattering like that when I turn it?

Maybe if I turn it out, take off the coil, get a little more chalk on the threads? Yeah, right…

I attempt to wrestle the coil back on, and the beckett snaps right off. Oh well, 41/42. That's a 97%, though right? I still get a A+?

------------------------------
Scott Cole, RPT
rvpianotuner.com
Talent, OR
(541-601-9033

Also, (to add to what Tremaine said), it's generally OK to put the splice in the speaking side of a wound string. Perfect for unichord wound strings, and I've had no issues on the rare times I've had to do this on wound bi-chords. It's also often OK to move the splice into the wound part of the string so you don't run into the problem of your beautiful splice bumping up against the agraff before you're up to pitch. The miniscule added mass, weight, etc., really won't affect wound bichord unisons into problematic. At least it hasn't for me. Certainly would not be problematic in a unichord wound string. 

------------------------------
Geoff Sykes, RPT
Los Angeles CA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-14-2023 21:16
From: Tremaine Parsons
Subject: A day in the Life

BTW, When splicing low bass strings its fine to go down 2 or 3 wire sizes for easier handling. Tension does not change on wound strings when decreasing wire diameter.

------------------------------
Tremaine Parsons RPT
Georgetown CA
(530) 333-9299
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 07-14-2023 19:09
From: Randy Prentice
Subject: A day in the Life

Best way to go for sure.

Randy Prentice Piano Service
520-749-3788

Original Message:
Sent: 7/14/2023 7:04:00 PM
From: Scott Cole
Subject: RE: A day in the Life

I wrestled with it but couldn't get a becket straight enough to go in. I briefly considered a slice, but it seemed kinda cheesy to have a splice in a new set.
I've ordered a new string.



Original Message:
Sent: 7/14/2023 10:32:00 AM
From: Randy Prentice
Subject: RE: A day in the Life

Damn! The heaviest string in the entire piano. I have to wonder what you did to remedy the situation. Form a new beckett? Splice the string? Either way, it's a wrist killer.

------------------------------
Randy Prentice RPT
Tucson AZ
(520) 749-3788


Original Message:
Sent: 07-14-2023 10:10
From: Scott Cole
Subject: A day in the Life

Here's my bummer story for the week:
I'm almost done restringing the bass on a 1905 O. It's going great, new pins feel good, I remembered to put the wires through the agraffes, yada yada. 5 more to go. 4 more. 3 more. 2 more. 1 more string to go! I can do it! All I have to do is NOT SCREW IT UP! It's a fly ball to the pitcher, the big trout is almost in the net.

Anyone remember that Larson cartoon with the character, a symphony percussionist, saying to himself as he gets ready to play his one note on the triangle, "I'm not going to screw up!!" The caption reads, "Roger screws up."

Anyway, A0 is wrapped around the new pin, I hammer it in. Wait, why is it chattering like that when I turn it?

Maybe if I turn it out, take off the coil, get a little more chalk on the threads? Yeah, right…

I attempt to wrestle the coil back on, and the beckett snaps right off. Oh well, 41/42. That's a 97%, though right? I still get a A+?

------------------------------
Scott Cole, RPT
rvpianotuner.com
Talent, OR
(541-601-9033

Sorry, but I waited long enough to throw this response in due to the title of this subject. I could resist no longer. Please forgive me.

Woke up, fell out of bed
Dragged a comb across my head
Found my way downstairs and drank a cup
And looking up, I noticed I was late
Found my coat and grabbed my hat
Made the bus in seconds flat
Found my way upstairs and had a smoke
And somebody spoke and I went into a dream

------------------------------
Geoff Sykes, RPT
Los Angeles CA
------------------------------

The Beatles.  Forever relevent. ...

------------------------------
William Truitt RPT
Bridgewater NH
(603) 744-2277
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-14-2023 22:43
From: Geoff Sykes
Subject: A day in the Life

Sorry, but I waited long enough to throw this response in due to the title of this subject. I could resist no longer. Please forgive me.

Woke up, fell out of bed
Dragged a comb across my head
Found my way downstairs and drank a cup
And looking up, I noticed I was late
Found my coat and grabbed my hat
Made the bus in seconds flat
Found my way upstairs and had a smoke
And somebody spoke and I went into a dream

------------------------------
Geoff Sykes, RPT
Los Angeles CA
------------------------------

Regarding my original post: An appropriate Fab 4 song title would be I Should Have Known Better. This was not my first encounter witth dog thieves. A few years, one made off with a screw driver. 

Speaking of the Beatles, I usually demo my tunings with Martha My Dear and/or You Never Give Me Your Money...although they always do.

Seems they had a song title for every facet of life.

------------------------------
Randy Prentice RPT
Tucson AZ
(520) 749-3788
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-15-2023 08:52
From: William Truitt
Subject: A day in the Life

The Beatles.  Forever relevent. ...

------------------------------
William Truitt RPT
Bridgewater NH
(603) 744-2277
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 07-14-2023 22:43
From: Geoff Sykes
Subject: A day in the Life

Sorry, but I waited long enough to throw this response in due to the title of this subject. I could resist no longer. Please forgive me.

Woke up, fell out of bed
Dragged a comb across my head
Found my way downstairs and drank a cup
And looking up, I noticed I was late
Found my coat and grabbed my hat
Made the bus in seconds flat
Found my way upstairs and had a smoke
And somebody spoke and I went into a dream

------------------------------
Geoff Sykes, RPT
Los Angeles CA