Ken, I agree with your approach entirely. Keep the piano as near standard spec as you are able, use education (and powerful monitors placed as near the pianist's ears as possible) to minimize the abuse. Why spend your time and their money putting the piano in a condition that won't serve a competent musician and reflects poorly on your abilities? Mike Ken & Pat Gerler wrote: > Mike, > In St. Louis I have a lot of "Pentecostal" type churches with > "musicians" who are self-taught and all they know is "banging" on the > pianos. Consequently I have a lot of broken strings. The same pianos > in "liturgical" churches never have any problems. > > A number of techs in St. Louis have opted to increase lost motion so > their "banging" is not as likely to break strings. I feel that is a > dis-service for a "competent" musician who might come to play the > instrument. I have been trying to educate them to get training and > also add amplification to the pianos with monitors in the ears of the > "bangers" so when they blow their ears off, they stop banging. > > Ken Gerler > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike Spalding" > <mike.spalding1 at verizon.net> > To: <pianotech at ptg.org> > Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 10:57 AM > Subject: Re: [pianotech] Kawai Electric Breaking Strings > > >> Paul, and everyone, >> >> 1. Thanks to everyone who has replied. I appreciate your knowledge >> and willingness to help. In particular, 3 different individuals from >> Kawai USA technical service have advised that I can buy original >> scale replacements from Mapes. >> >> 2. The hammers are what they are. When was the last time you sold >> the buyer of a $500 used electric piano a shaping, regulation, and >> voicing job? >> >> 3. "Major defect"? No such assumption has been made. My question, >> for those experienced in designing bass scales, is whether, based on >> this piano's history plus any additional experience you might have >> with this model, you would advise designing the missing strings at a >> % break strength of 60% like the neighboring strings, or perhaps >> going a little lower. >> >> thanks >> >> Mike Spalding >> >> pgmilkie at juno.com wrote: >>> Before you go off assuming a major defect you might investigate the >>> playing that the piano is getting. If this is like my many abused >>> church pianos weekly string breakage is often "normal" and due to >>> heavy pounding, not necessarily from an incorrect scale. >>> >>> >>> >>> Are the hammers in need of attention. 'heavily grooved, to hard'? >>> >>> Paul Milkie >>> >>> ____________________________________________________________ >>> Criminal Lawyers - Click here. >>> http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/fc/BLSrjpTOVoIvnCS6fxgFqjhJu1pzxWL6cXuOpXCJFFbkou1mkXRLxNUbUZa/ >>> >>> >>> > >
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC