Doping pins.

[Matt Wynne]

My approach on more modest pianos belonging to customers who are probably 
not going for the expensive job is to offer doping with CA as an 
inexpensive remedy that usually has good results - that means USUALLY not 
always.  If they want to pay me to flip the piano and inhale CA fumes, they 
are aware that results may vary.  I will usually give them a list of 
remedies in ascending order of cost and efficacy (doping, repin, 
pinblock).  In my beginning years, I used to offer tapping the pins, but I 
don't bother anymore because it usually entails a double or triple tuning 
and the pins loosen up after awhile anyway.

If I have the room I will turn a grand upside down.  I have a temporary 
piano leg that allows me to do the job without help.  After two or three 
applications, I flip the piano back up and apply from the top on the worst 
offending pins.  I'll flip uprights onto their back with my tilt truck.

Have fun

-Matt