Thank you to everyone who responded. Looks like I've stirred things up again. To answer your questions and add to my thoughts: The upright models I have tuning pin alignment problems with are mainly our 248's and 243's but I have tuned some smaller scales with that problem too. Can't remember model numbers like I used to. I noticed the problem when Baldwin switched plate suppliers and I assumed this was a bug that would be worked out. Likewise, my grand regulation woes came about after their factory move and I assume they are training new people and so on. I do wonder if they are getting the same treatment through the "pounder" since I have never had problems anywhere near this bad in the past. I would be willing to bet that Del's suggestion is correct, that: >Usually this problem can be traced back to either the original selection of >the wood or, more commonly, its processing and drying. Each part in the >action has some 'proper' grain orientation specification both for stability >and for strength characteristics. If these are not followed the action >will -- not might, but will -- have stability problems. > >It also helps if the wood is brought to some specific moisture content, >usually about 7.0%, plus-or-minus depending on the wood species and location >of the plant, and held there long enough for the moisture content to become >reasonably constant -- i.e., reach its equilibrium moisture content -- and >stable before being processed. As for David's questioning: >I wonder if this might be a disadvantage of the loan programs, that >the pianos are unstable etc. Comments on how brand new pianos >work out over a year of use would be appreciated As a four year veteran of the loan program, I agree and disagree. Yes, I have done extra work to these new pianos in tuning and minor regulation but never on this scale. That is exactly my point, I have never had to do complete re-regulation to a new Baldwin grand until this year. Not only here at the university but in the years I worked for the Baldwin Cincinnati retail div. and all the years of tuning for dealers, new Baldwin grands were usually pretty stable, action-wise. I support the college loan program in that we get to use good, new pianos free of charge. The extra work I have to do is well worth it. I also want to say that I am not jumping bad on Baldwin, for the most part I have been very happy with their pianos. I assume these problems are temporary as Baldwin makes factory and supplier changes. I just wondered if other people were having the same problems. chris -Christopher D. Purdy R.P.T. -School of Music, Ohio University -Athens, OH 45701 -mailto:purdy@ohio.edu -(740) 593-1656 office -(740) 593-1429 fax
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