piano look-see

[Lwellerrpt@aol.com]

Michelle-

I make categories and then as the evaluation unfolds, details are more or 
less complete according to the needs of the moment.  (Not always good enough 
because I always think of something else later)  Whatever comes of this 
conversation, I'll probably add that checklist to my small stack of papers in the pocket 
of the toolcase.

If I've forgotten anything, we can blame it on Sunday morning sleepies.

Lisa Weller

p.s.  Two things that have helped my student find problems-
Sesame Street's song "One of these things is not like the others"  Yes the 
teacher gets the dirty look regularly :-)
and the proverb, "Piano Techs like to see straight lines and even spaces."



LISA'S SHORT AND OH-SO-HANDY INSPECTION LIST

Usually, you'll know most of the answers after the first section.

General appearance and first impressions
       name, serial# and country of origin
       case appearance
       scratches/damage
       missing parts
       color problems/mismatched parts 
       smell, how dirty, evidence of critters
       what type of action
       what type of flanges,springs and strings
       glance around for new parts & strings
       evidence of bad work from other techs
       a general idea of age of piano and how worn out things are
       impressions from a few chords and runs played
             tuning-when and how far from pitch
             playability
             pedals
       

Playability
       what can it still do
       does it hurt you to play it
       investigate unusual things

Strings/pinblock
       what's been replaced/repaired
       tuning pin condition/size
       quality of stringing job/neatness of coils
       pinblock fit and solidness
       bass string tone
       rust
       tunability
             tuning pin torque and evenness
             string rendering
Bridges
       original quality/cheapness 
       cracks
       loose pins   
       separating from soundboard
       see and hear how strings sit against bridge and pins

Plate
       finish flaking 
       plate bolts all present and tight
       general fit to case
       hitchpins
       aliquots in place
       under string felt presence and quality 
       look for bits of felt shoved between strings near capo for evidence of 
string/capo noise problems
       
 Keys & key frame & key bed     
       what's been replaced
       keytop condition
       bushings/keybuttons
       condition of leads
       level and height
       how flattened is the backrail cloth
       condition of keypins
       look for chewed up places or wood rot on a grand keyframe
       condition of glidebolts
       condition of keybed spring
       condition of all the places where the keyframe touches

 Action
       what's been replaced and resulting damage (shredded backchecks from 
bad shaping of hammer tails, etc.)
       hammer condition
       shape of knuckle
       what still works/doesn't work as far as how much regulation had 
deteriorated
       condition of brackets, rails and screws 
       felt condition
       leather condition
       pinning
       screws tight
       smoothness of spoons and capstans
      
Dampers
       what's been replaced
       what works or not
       age of felt and wires 
       guiderail      
       back action
             how underlevers are attached (glued in or screwed in)
             alignment of underlevers/timing on lift with pedal
             pinning
             leads
             tray
             pitman& levers
             felt and leather
       key end felt condition

Sostenuto
       what works or not
       condition of tabs      
       condition of rail and supports
           
Case & legs
       finish age, type and condition
       condition of hinges   
       fit of fallboard, lid and other movable parts
       condition/presence of music desk 
       veneer problems
             loose
             missing
             cracks
       hardware
             loose
             missing
             finish 
       legs
             attached correctly and in correct location
             cracks or previous repairs  
             bolts/screws not obstructing cheekblocks or keyframe 
       casters
             matching
             condition
             what have they done to the floor

Pedal lyre
       attached correctly
       proper lyre braces attached correctly
       separating of lyre parts and/or bottom of pedal box (check for hymnal 
under pedals)
       wear of dowels, felts and leather parts 
       check all pedals for function & follow problems