In-Piano Records Revisited

[Maxpiano@aol.com]

List,

Some time back there was a thread on writing inside the piano- tuning date,
etc.  I've been seeing penciled date and initials on piano plates ever since I
began tuning in the '50's.

But now a new wrinkle as I've begun doing some of the work at a "most unusual"
university.  It seems that this institution has of long standing been hiring
their tuning work done by an area business that has at any time sent any one
of their several tuners (mostly family).  I am finding several sets of records
inside many pianos, as each particular technician has selected his spot, be it
keys, hammers or pin block, to scrawl his initials and then record the
sporadic dates he particularly has tuned.

One Yamaha (butt plate vintage) has a section of 12-15 hammers numbered for
removal (to push in center pins?) with an extra notation, "why all this crap?"

Which reminds me of the Gulbransen studio that I tune (no, touch up) once a
year.  Each time I open it I get to view a comment some technician wrote about
the previous one:  "Beware--Jackleg...speedy quack."  I'm glad I can cover it
up when I leave.

Back to the sporadic-- I think there is value to the same technician keeping
up with a particular piano, rather than it being passed around.  You get to
know a certain piano and what you have done to it, particularly if you keep
your own written records available.

Bill Maxim, RPT