tumbling piano

[McNeilTom@aol.com]

Much better it should fall on its lid than otherwise!  Years ago, I had a
small grand in the shop, all rebuilt, being loaded up to deliver it to the
customer.  One of the movers was a new guy in the shop, doing his first move.
 He planted the dolly only part-way under the skid; when his partner lowered
the piano onto the dolly - over she went!

My initial disappointment with this event was soon exceeded by my wonderment
at the good fortune of the outcome.  We set the piano up, unwrapped it and I
carefully inspected it - only to find no damage whatsoever!  Even the tuning
survived!  So we wrapped it up again and delivered it to the customer, to
whom I did not confess the incident.  And my new man was a much better piano
mover after that frightening experience.

Another somersault tale with a different ending.  A university had a S&S 'D'
which served two different venues.  The university's M&O crew used to move it
back and forth as needed, complaining all the while.  They negotiated a new
contract which eliminated piano moving from their responsibilities.  On the
very first move for which commercial movers were contracted, the piano tipped
over while on its side.  It landed on its belly, a Very Bad Scene:  The
trapwork was driven up through the keybed, and the action was crushed to
about half its normal height.  We had to remove the keybed and replace it,
and build up an entire new keyframe/action for the piano.  Very expensive for
the insurance company, and very educational for us!  Piano was fine
ultimately, and still in service twenty years later.

Tale No. 3 (last one):  Before I began my eight-year hitch with the State
University of New York, Fredonia School of Music, there was an accident with
one of the concert grands, an SD-10.  It had been half on / half off the
stage pit elevator in the performing arts center when someone hit the "DOWN"
switch.  I don't know the extent of the damage, but the piano was sent back
to Baldwin for rebuilding.  No evidence of damage survived the rebuilding.
 The stage crew and I were afterward eternally vigilant that pianos be set
either all on, or all off the lift, and to double-check before operating the
elevator!

Best regards!

  -     Tom McNeil, RPT     -
Vermont Piano Restorations