[pianotech] middle pedal

[Ron Nossaman]

On 12/27/2010 5:05 PM, Thomas Cole wrote:
> Early in my career, I tuned a TOG (tired old grand) for a first-time
> customer, a minister's wife. The woman called me that evening and
> demanded that I put the dampers back in that I took out. I managed to
> explain over the phone that no piano has dampers beyond the middle of
> the sixth octave.

I got that call from a piano salesman in a music store, about ringing 
high treble dampers in a new Kimball Spinsole. He was an hour's drive 
away, so I suggested he lift the lid and see if he could see anything 
that would prevent the dampers from working up there. He came back to 
the phone saying "Oh, yea, there's no dampers up there". "Absolutely 
right", I told him, "and you've just survived your first piano 
diagnostic!" He thought it was funny, so we were both off the hook.


> I spend more time these days making personal contact with piano owners,
> partially to head off these trust issues. That and gray hair helps, too.

Yes, all of the above. The dogs and cats are usually really glad to see 
me too.
Ron N