CAUT

  • 1.  Piano vandalism, or ?

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 01-13-2025 12:09
      |   view attached

    18 years here and this is a first.  We lent a practice room Yamaha U1 to the Theater department for a play, as we've done several times in the past.  I tuned it the morning of their opening night and all was well.  After a successful run we brought it back to the practice room but I didn't check it out as it was the day before the holiday break.  Just went to tune it this morning and I found 5 broken hammers!  I'm meeting with the production manager later on, and she feels terrible about it. I think I'll be consoling her - it won't take that long to repair...  So I'm wondering if this was intentional vandalism (why on earth?) Or was it accidental (how on earth?) 



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    Zeno Wood
    Brooklyn, NY
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  • 2.  RE: Piano vandalism, or ?

    Member
    Posted 01-14-2025 00:00

    Two look like the shanks came out of the butt probably due to glue failure. Two others look like the shanks broke off at angles that allow a glue repair with a wrap using silk cord or upholstery thread wrapped like what is used on fishing rods to attach the line guides.Maybe  a few players got too heavy handed



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    James Kelly
    Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
    Pawleys Island SC
    (843) 325-4357
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  • 3.  RE: Piano vandalism, or ?

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 01-15-2025 07:45

    I'm with James here. Looks like wear and tear. Glue joint and poorly oriented grain failures. 

    Playing for a performance is not like practice. The expectation was probably this piano would serve as a grand,

    which it was never intended to do. Even if it were vandalism, impossible to prove. I am surprised the accompanist did not inform of this. 



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    Dave Conte, RPT

    Piano Technician in Residence
    The University of Tennessee
    College of Music
    Knoxville TN
    (817) 307-5656
    Owner: Rocky Top Piano
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Piano vandalism, or ?

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 01-15-2025 08:24

    Almost every broken upright shank I ever have had to replace have been on theater department or theater stage pianos.



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    Wesley Owen RPT
    Evanston IL
    (847) 257-5554
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