Yahtzee score pads? Now you're talking.... You mean you've never fished out any of those little green army men? I've told this story before, but what the heck, I'm getting older, I'll go ahead and repeat myself. :-) I went to tune the lady's grand piano, and when I got there, I got the feeling that she wasn't too enthused about me. Maybe it was my being young and female--or maybe it was that I charged more that nice, old Mr. Whoozits, who had tuned her piano for years. She left me to my work. I was working away and got to the treble section. I could hear a rattly clunk. I removed the fallboard and a set of car keys was sitting on the piano keys. I called to the owner, asking her if she was missing a set of car keys. She looked incredulous--17 years prior they had bought a new car. The toddler was playing with the car keys and suddenly nobody new where the keys were. They looked everywhere, even took apart duct work, but never could find the keys. All those years Mr. Whoozits either didn't hear the clunk, or never bothered to investigate. heh, heh, heh... The worst I have had to remove, besides barf, was (used) chewing tobacco (dorm piano). Barbara Richmond, RPT near Peoria, Illinois ----- Original Message ----- From: "Conrad Hoffsommer" <choffsommer at hotmail.com> To: pianotech at ptg.org Sent: Sunday, February 14, 2010 3:49:47 PM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central Subject: Re: [pianotech] things in pianos Stories . . . I once found a huge, really huge, diamond ring in a Steinway L. It had been taped to the under side of the plate, and I dislodged it while cleaning. When I handed it to the piano owner, she was shocked, saying she had totally forgotten about the ring and the guy who had given it to her. How could a guy who gave such a huge ring be that forgettable? D That ring might have been huge to you ... ;-} What follows is a list of thing I found in pianos, mostly during my first 5-10 years in the business. Nothing that would be a surprise to most tuners. Most of which could/did cause rattles. Acorn Afro-comb Allen wrench (1/16") Ankle bracelet Amusement ride token Audio Cassettes (in & without box) Balls:Ping-pong Golf Super wood Band-Aids Barbie purse Barettes Bassoon plaque BB's Belt loops Bicycle chain link Bingo markers Bottles:Glue/mucilage Empty humidifier slide oil Bow tie Bracelet Brazil nuts Buttons Cake candle holder Candle Candy wrappers Cat rabies tag Cereals:Cherrios Cocoa Krispies Chalk Chapstick Checkers Children's:Handkerchief Story book Christmas tree ornament (Broken) " window decal Church programs Cigarette lighter Cigar & Cigarette ashes and butts Clarinet reeds Clarinet reed clamp screw Cloth name patch Clothespins Clothing price tag Coins (Real & play) Cookies Cough drops Coasters Crayons Croutons Decomposing hard candy Dental pick Doll eyes / shoes Name tags Dowel Drain plug (1/4") Drapery hook Drill bit (Broken) Earring pendant Engagement ring Eyeglass case Fabric Felt File Fingernail Food service silverware washing bucket Flag-bearing toothpick Flashbulb Floss pick Furniture brackets Garbage bag tie Guitar picks High school:Hall pass Library card Insole insert Insects - dead & alive Jar full of coins (good hiding place!, but not good enough.) Jigsaw puzzle pieces Jelly bean Ketchup packets Key (Dormroom) Kleenex (Usually used) Leaves & needles Library book label Lip gloss tube Lollipop sticks "Mad" play money M&M's Marbles Masking tape Matches Metronome pendulum weight Mickey Mouse key fob " " book Miniature crosswalk sign Mini-backgammon set Model train scenery Mouse nest (Inhabited) Muffin paper Music " theory flashcard Nailfile Nails:Paneling Finishing Roofing Name tag Necklace Nuprin tablets Nut & bolt Oboe tube Padlock Paper Paper:Airplanes Clips Cups Peanut shells Pens Pencil erasers Pencils Photographic negative (110 size) Pierced earring Pins:Hat Bobby Safety Straight Piano bridge Pistacio shells Pitch pipe Pizza coupon Plastic:Knives Forks Spoons Cups Straws Magnifying glass Labels Dental floss pick Straw (Easter Basket type) Napkin holder Political campaign button Popcorn (unpopped) Popsicle sticks Pop-tops Q-tips Raisin Razor blades Receipt (Cash register tape) Religious medals Rubber bands Regular Orthodontic Salt packets Sea shell Scissors Scotch tape Screw hook Screwdriver Screws Sewing needles Sewing machine needles Shoe insert Silly putty egg Spaghetti (raw) Staples Straw Tail for Pin-the-tail-on-donkey Temporary auto registration Threaded rod (¼"-20) Throat lozenges Thumb tacks Tiddley winks Toilet paper roll Toothbrush Towel Twist ties UFO's (Unidentified found objects) Violin mute - rubber type Water Wine bottle cork wire Wood shavings Wrist watch Yahtsee score pads Conrad -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech.php/attachments/20100214/d5dcfba2/attachment-0001.htm>
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