Dave Talcott mentioned rusty strings and other problems on a small Baldwin grand. As for the rust, here is a suggestion. Check the owner's daily habits. I had a situation with a piano teacher's Steinway S that was full of rust, mold, verdigris, and you name it. She lived alone, and closed the piano and closed up the house when she went to her studio to teach. She would leave the air conditioner turned off to save electricity. When she would come home in the late afternoon, her house would be hot and humid, and she would turn on the window air conditioner, but leave the piano closed for a while. The cold breeze from the window AC would cool the piano case, and the trapped moisture inside the piano would condense. Check and see if there is mold inside the piano case. If there is, you will have the answer to that part of the puzzle. Jim Ellis
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC