[pianotech] String Rattle

Tue Aug 25 07:33:03 MDT 2009

That remind me of a funny story. I don't know if I posted this before.

I was tuning for a large dealer in New York. The customer had purchased a Kohler & Campbell Console and it was time for their free tuning. When I called to make the appointment, the customer informed me that a terrible buzz had developed and he wanted a new piano. I told him that I would take a look at it when I came to tune the piano and If I couldn't fix the problem, that we would change out the piano for him.

Sure enough there was a bad buss. I mean a really bad buzz. I removed the desk and bottom board and did a visual inspection. I had him play as I inspected, checking the bridges etc, and could not find any problem. At that point I decided to move the piano away from the wall to check the soundboard and ribs. I immediately found the problem. There was a bottle of Scotch Whiskey and a bottle of Club Soda perched on the bottom support beam leaning against the soundboard. I said to the customer "I found your problem". With that he exclaimed. "THAT'S NOT MY PROBLEM.....THAT'S NOT MY PROBLEM". I removed the bottles and handed them to him. I proceeded to tune the piano and never hear from him again.

Al

  From: Gerald Groot 
  Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 8:22 AM
  To: pianotech at ptg.org 
  Subject: [pianotech] String Rattle

  This reminds me of a funny story about a problem I had many years ago.  I used to be the tech for the store that sold Grand (the brand name) pianos.  When out servicing one of them for the free tuning, there was a very prominent buzz on 2 notes only in the tenor bass break.  When played loudly, it TWANGED like mad. It was the kind of twang that sounded like a bearing problem.  I checked everything you can think of and then some but could not find what was causing it.  After a few hours, I called my cousin.  The other Groot that some of you mistook for me here at the Grand Rapids Convention.   We went back at a later time together to solve it.  We didn't solve it.  We couldn't figure the problem out for nothing.  We even resorted to turning the nose bolt for a different bearing.  Nothing worked.  There was plenty of room on each side of the bridges so it was not buzzing there either.  

  Finally, I called my dad who just happened to be home.  He came right over.  We all 3 looked and looked.  Finally, my dad picked up one side of the piano and just flat out dropped it!  BAM onto the floor it went.  Those of you that know me, will assume which I did, that I busted out laughing my butt off when he did that.  So did my cousin.  My dad, he just smirked.  Funny thing?  The buzz went away never to return.  After making sure it wasn't going to start up again dad looked at the piano and said "THERE YOU SO AND SO TAKE THAT!!!  To which we all laughed some more.  

  I wouldn't condone resorting to this obviously,  yet after that much frustration, it sure was funny to watch him do that.  

  Jer

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