[pianotech] Low humidity ok ?

[allan at sutton.net]

Cy, wouldn't the damage result from very high humidity in the summer
followed by very low level ? Thank you for the great links.

David, I will add this to my "testimonial collection"


Allan Sutton, m.mus. RPT
www.pianotechniquemontreal.com


2010/6/20 Porritt, David <dporritt at mail.smu.edu>

>  Allan:
>
>
>
> I had a customer with a 9’ Bösendorfer who had a free standing humidifier
> next to the piano.  In spite of the fact that students came into the room
> from outside every 30-minutes for their lessons, it was disappointing how
> seldom I got to tune that piano.  Even when I was called to tune it I did
> embarrassingly little to it.
>
>
>
> dave
>
>
>
> David M. Porritt, RPT
>
> dporritt at smu.edu
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] *On
> Behalf Of *allan at sutton.net
> *Sent:* Sunday, June 20, 2010 10:55 AM
>
> *To:* pianotech at ptg.org
> *Subject:* Re: [pianotech] Low humidity ok ?
>
>
>
> Thank you Terry,
>
>
>
> That precision : "different pianos, different solutions" seems very
> appropriate to me.
>
>
>
> Another question : Do many agree that a small external humidifier near the
> piano will help significantly in adding some humidity to every part of the
> piano when needed (soundboard and pinblock and action, in a grand piano),
> albeit as a second choice to whole room conditioning ?
>
>
>
> Allan Sutton, m.mus. RPT
>
> www.pianotechniquemontreal.com
>
>  2010/6/20 Terry Farrell <mfarrel2 at tampabay.rr.com>
>
> Do many of you agree  that stability is much more important than
> maintaining a specific Relative Humidity level in the piano?
>
>
>
> More important, yes.
>
>
>
>
>
>  And that too much humidity is worse than too little?
>
>
>
> Maybe yes, and maybe no. Both should be avoided. All depends on piano - old
> piano with marginal soundboard crown and almost-loose tuning pins, higher RH
> might work better for it. New piano that performs well at a lower RH, low RH
> may be just fine for that piano.
>
>
>
>  In other words, with an adjustable humidistat (Moisture King) and one or
> two heat bars we can keep Relative Humidity at 30 % or even 25 % and that is
> good, much better than swings from 25 to 85 % RH for example ?
>
>
>
> Steady 30 or 25% is better than 25% to 85% RH swings for sure. Steady 45%
> or 50% is likely better than 30 or 25% RH.
>
>
>
> Steady is best. Mid-range RH is best generally. However, if the piano in
> question performs better at a higher or lower RH, then an RH adjusted in
> that direction may be beneficial.
>
>
>
> Terry Farrell
>
>
>
>
>
> On Jun 20, 2010, at 11:17 AM, allan at sutton.net wrote:
>
>
>
>  Dear list members,
>
>
>
> Do many of you agree  that stability is much more important than
> maintaining a specific Relative Humidity level in the piano ? And that too
> much humidity is worse than too little ?
>
>
>
> In other words, with an adjustable humidistat (Moisture King) and one or
> two heat bars we can keep Relative Humidity at 30 % or even 25 % and that is
> good, much better than swings from 25 to 85 % RH for example ?
>
>
>
> I found nothing in the archives about this specific question.
>
>
>
> I hope to hear you about this in Vegas and here on the list. Thank you.
>
>
> Allan Sutton, m.mus. RPT
> www.pianotechniquemontreal.com
>
>
>
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