Maintenance Schedule

[Avery Todd]

Hi John and Dave,

Thanks for the suggestions. That's just what I need. Any others
who care to are more than welcome to respond also. The more the
merrier, so to speak. Who knows, maybe I can even use this
information to push some more for a second tech for these 126
pianos!

After having two 14-hour days (Fri. & Sat.) and 9 hrs. on Sunday
for the Piano Festival, I think I'm going to take the rest of the
day off. I believe I've earned it! :-)

I may have some comments to make in the next day or two about a
couple of problems that I had to solve for Angela Hewitt
(WONDERFUL recital & if you ever get a chance to hear her, do.)
but not right now. Too run down to really think straight right
now. After all, I'm getting to be an old fart, you know. :-)

Avery

>I went through this a couple of years ago.  Here is what I suggested:
>
>Concert instruments need thorough regulation and key rebushing every year,
>new hammers every four years, restringing and new dampers every six years.
>When restringing time arrives, consider if rebuilding is a better idea
>based on pinblock and soundboard condition (maybe very twelve to eighteen
>years).
>
>Each grand piano should be considered for, depending on usage, a touchup
>regulation every year, key rebushing every three years, a thorough
>regulation every six years, new hammers and dampers every twelve years,
>and restringing every eighteen years.  When restringing time arrives,
>consider if rebuilding is a better idea based on pinblock and soundboard
>condition, if the instrument is worth rebuilding.
>
>Each upright piano should have the same as above but based on five year
>intervals instead of three years intervals.  Replace the instrument
>instead of rebuilding.
>
>All pianos should be tuned at least four times per year.
>Piano faculty studio pianos should be tuned every month.
>Concert instruments should be tuned the day of performance.
>
>Computer data base should be kept on piano inventory, condition, history,
>repairs, scheduling for future work, etc.
>
>John Chapman RPT
>Wake Forest University
>Winston-Salem NC
>
>
>On Mon, 5 Feb 2001, Avery Todd wrote:
>
>> List,
>>
>> Our business manager for the music dept. just called and told me
>> that the Provost's office wants some kind of maintenance schedule
>> for our pianos. Things like:
>>
>> 1. How often should they be tuned
>> 2. How often rebuilt
>> 3. How often replaced
>> 4. etc., etc.
>>
>> She said they are in the process of evaluating the fees charged
>> to students and wanted some kind of information pertaining to this.
>> Even generic info would be helpful.
>>
>> I have a few ideas but would appreciate some feedback from you are more
>> experienced in dealing with this type of beaurecratic @#$%$^&. :-)
>>
>> Any ideas? Thanks.
>>
>> Avery
>>
>> ______________________________________
>>
>> mailto:atodd@uh.edu - Work           "I haven't failed. I've
>>                                       found 10,000 ways that
>> mailto:avery@ev1.net - Home           won't work."
>>
>> Avery Todd                           -Benjamin Franklin-
>> Moores School of Music
>> University of Houston
>> Houston, TX 77204-4201
>> 713-743-3226
>>