What would you do?

[David ilvedson]

Jarred,

The fact that you will be writing the "mandatory report" covers 
your butt in the long run if you don't leave anything out.  If this 
is an anomaly with these pianos in your experience, the 
dealer's first instinct will be to have you "fix it".  By anomaly I 
am talking about the loose tuning pins, not the usual 
inequality of the piano.  Although in the past, Del? or someone 
wrote about the futility of tapping tuning pins that is what I 
would do first.  Obviously not down to the plate and if they are 
already there forget it!  You wouldn't catch me using CA in a 
new piano just on the dealers floor.  Of course I have a 
reputation to uphold as I'm sure you do.  If tapping doesn't 
make a big change in the tuneability of the instrument there is 
going to be some big money to let down the tension and 
install new tuning pins.  Make sure you estimate on the high 
side.  That would be the time to check the pinblock for cracks. 
There was a thread just recently about lights with glass tubes 
for slipping into the empty tuning pin hole.  For the kind of 
money and trouble it will take to do the job right, in a 
professional manner, I would recommend the dealer send it 
back to the manufacturer.  The dealer will make the decision 
for you but give him the facts.  Hopefully he will expect his 
money's worth when he buys a new piano.  

Good luck.

David Ilvedson, RPT

Date sent:      	Mon, 29 Nov 1999 21:35:35 +0000
Subject:        	Re: What would you do?
From:           	"Antares" <antares@EURONET.NL>
To:             	pianotech@ptg.org
Send reply to:  	pianotech@ptg.org

> Hello Jarred Finnigan,
> I live in Europe and work freelance for the branch office of a Piano
> corporation.
> My main work for them is to check on technical problems that occur every now
> and then (usually due to the wrong treatment of other piano technicians).
> If however a piano or a grand has a serious basic and/or structural fault, I
> will definitely not attempt to put a bandaid on it. 
> loose tuning pins are a serious and basic fault, so, ask for a better one
> and do not touch the ill one, but send it back to where it came from.
> 
> Antares
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jarred Finnigan <jfinnigan@optusnet.com.au
> <mailto:jfinnigan@optusnet.com.au> >
> To: pianotech@ptg.org <mailto:pianotech@ptg.org>  <pianotech@ptg.org
> <mailto:pianotech@ptg.org> >
> Date: Monday, 29 November 1999 09:21 PM
> Subject: What would you do?
> 
> Hi list!
> I have recently subscribed to this list and before posing my little dilemma
> I would just like to express how grateful I am for the great wealth of
> experience that exists out there, thanks!
>  
> I do a fair bit of tuning for one of Australia's largest piano houses and
> today came across a slightly unusual problem (unusual to me anyway).  I was
> pitch raising a brand new "Gors & Khalman" upright out of the "Pearl River"
> factory in China (yuk, awful).  As you will know if you have ever had the
> "privilege" of tuning one of these instruments they typically have extremely
> tight tuning pins.  This one had very loose pins two of which would not even
> hold pitch.
>  
> Of course I have been asked to write the mandatory report.  Apart from the
> obvious re-pin, what would you do?
> Any replies greatly appreciated.
>  
> Jarred Finnigan
> APTTA    PTTG (VIC)
> jfinnigan@optusnet.com.au <mailto:jfinnigan@optusnet.com.au> 
> 
> 
> 


David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA
ilvey@jps.net