new one back

[pianoman]

I asked my client to call me and let me know what the exterminator says. 
Will keep you posted if he lets me know.
James Grebe
R.P.T. from St. Louis
pianoman@inlink.com
"I am only as good as my last tuning"

----------
> From: Greg Torres <Tunapiana@adisfwb.com>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Re: new one
> Date: Friday, December 19, 1997 3:56 AM
> 
> Pianoman,
> 
> I have heard of an insect called  the "powder-post beetle" and I have
heard
> from other techs that they can tear up a piano similar to the way
termites do
> but only quicker. Looking forward to the bug man's diagnosis....
> 
> Regards,
> Greg Torres
> 
> Pianoman wrote:
> 
> > Today I ran across something I have never seen before.  This fellow
called
> > me up for a tuning appointment for his Baldwin console.  It had been
about
> > 5 years since last tuned and he said he thought he had a bug problem as
> > something had eaten through the protective felt covering over the
pinblock.
> > When I got there this morning and opened the lid, WOW.  There was one
place
> > about 4 inches in diameter eaten through down into the wood in back of
the
> > pinblock and directly above that into the bottom surface of the lid.  I
> > told him that the felt covering should be removed so we could see the
> > extent of the damage.  He tore it off and all along the top were gaping
> > holes and the space between the back post ends were hollow from being
eaten
> > away.  In addition, I guess because the filler block had been eaten
away
> > the pinblock was separated from the back about 1/8" or so .  The
dampers
> > were not raising from the strings properly and the pitch was over -120c
> > flat in the middle and worse towards the treble end.  I told him that
the
> > normal fix was to pull the front to the back with clamps and put in lag
> > screws gluing everything back together but the problem was that there
is
> > nothing to glue the pinblock back to.  Strangely enough there was no
other
> > damage over the rest of the piano inside or out.  I don't know enough
about
> > termites but it would seem that they would be damaging something else
close
> > by.  He said the piano had been in the same place for over 10 years.  I
> > advised that he call an exterminator to check out the damage and to see
if
> > he could recognize the perpetrator.  The eaten away part was a drab
gray
> > flaky color.  I advised also to check with his insurance to see if he
had
> > any coverage due to insect damage and wrote on his receipt that I
thought
> > the piano was a total loss and see if that would get him anywhere.
> > Remember this is not in the tropics where this may be common, it is the
St.
> > Louis suburbs not far from where I live.
> >         Do you think I gave the right advice?
> >
> > James Grebe
> > R.P.T. from St. Louis
> > pianoman@inlink.com
> > "I am only as good as my last tuning"
> 
> 
>