[CAUT] Tuning stability

[Clarence Zeches]

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I service a Bosendorfer 6'4 that was rebuilt a couple of years ago.  I
serviced this piano when it was new in the 70's and the theater which it
is in has always had problems with humidity.  Then they had a "toner"
who serviced? it for several years because he was very cheap in cost.
When I got a call about 3 years ago to come and look at the piano I
counted over 80 tunings in 12 years recorded on the plate with felt tip
pen.  Some of the pins were so loose that they just went back to where
they came from as soon as you took you hand off the tuning hammer.  This
brought about the rebuilding by a very reputable Bosendorfer dealer.
 
Since rebuilding, the piano has not been any more stable than it was
before being rebuilt, but the tuning pins are tight.  It does have a 48"
Dampp Chaser and a 24" Dampp chaser with a humidistat installed.  I
tuned the piano in September and had to do a pitch raise.  I tuned it in
early December and it was flat again.  I tuned it today (March 14th) and
had to do another pitch raise.  It was over 25 cents flat. The bass
section was only about 5 cents flat while some notes in the treble were
as much as 40 cents flat.   Before I tuned it today I gently nudged the
strings behind the dampers and behind the bridge, I tightened all plate
screws and some would turn, then did the pitch raise and tuned it.  I
will have to wait to see if what I did today helps the stability any.
 
My question is what else can I do to stabilize this piano?  Do I insist
on a full humidity control system?  They have previously rejected this
idea.  It would be sadly neglected during the summer and holidays as it
is a private school theater. They have a dehumidifier running all the
time in the room (not near the piano) and the humidity today in the
piano was 42% and the temperature was 72.  The piano is not used a lot.
Some weeks it would not get 3 hours of use, near program times it will
get used 2-3 hours a day.  To my knowledge they keep a fairly consistent
temperature in the room.  It has never been cold when I go in the room
to tune in the winter.  The opposite end of this building has both the
gym and a swimming pool, about 200 feet away.  The music area is about
50 feet away and the pianos in the music room are more stable.
 
Clarence Zeches 

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