Here's a good one for you all and an incidental plug for Kawai's ABS Styran parts. About 6 years ago there were terrible floods in Chicago's western suburb of Aurora and I went on countless insurance calls for pianos that had been submerged. One, in fact -- an old upright -- strangely enough was peacefully floating on its back in what was once a living room... but I digress. One call I received was from a customer who bought a Kawai console c.1992. She told me her piano spent the better part of a day submerged in water up to, but not including, the hammers. She also told me she had no insurance. As a courtesy, I stopped by to offer advice. With it still being wet, it appeared hopeless. She indicated she would have no money for replacing it, so she prayed it would survive. I advised to let it dry out and I'll send someone out in a month or two to see if it has a fighting chance. I previously subcribed to the theory that once the water gets to the action, well, I would refer to the piano in past tense. One of my technicians (who thought I was sending him on a Herculean mission) eventually went to the home and was shocked to find that after key easing, capstan & rail pin polishing, string & bridge cleaning, tuning and minor regulation, his work was done, and the piano played like new. After the bushings dried, the ABS proved to be unaffected. Other than some stains and minor case damage, the piano was fine. 6 years later, the same technician is still tuning the same piano, with no others problems having ever emerged. Caution Don (Mannino), I don't think I'd like to start seeing ABS ads showing "Compared to other parts submerged in floodwaters, Kawai's ABS parts..." :) John Cordogan Cordogan's Pianoland and Cordogan's Piano Gallery Illinois' Largest Piano Store "More pianos than you can shake a leveling stick at" Chicagoland's Kawai, Sauter, Estonia and Kemble dealer <A HREF="http://www.chicagopianos.com">www.chicagopianos.com</A>
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