I have had the kitchen oils situation deaden bass strings but the Pledge inside the piano is a new one. I think Andrew needs to determine who has been servicing the pianos at the University and then call Boston for recommendations. Not a good situation for anybody, but if someone did this to the pianos in the name of servicing, it is a especially sad.... David I. ----- Original message ---------------------------------------- From: "Jim Harvey" <harvey@greenwood.net> To: "College and University Technicians" <caut@ptg.org> Received: 10/7/2005 5:06:52 PM Subject: RE: [CAUT] Grease/Oil on upright pressure bar >There have been cases of factory "oversights", regardless of >manufacturer. All that I'm aware of were innocent in nature. That is, >they were attempts by the workers at doing something faster, better, or >easier, and NOT byproducts of a design or manufacturing requirement. >(This does _not_ include things like soaking hammer flanges in mutton >tallow, which was a manufacturing decision). >This situation, however, is a new phenomenon to me. I don't know the how >many pianos are considered a "bunch" in Laredo, but you could consider >removing the pressure bar for cleaning. Unfortunately, I think this is >the least of the problem. As you indicated, the material has or -will- >travel. It will compromise bass strings and affect sound transfer >through the bridges. >At this point, and based on your description alone, it seems unlikely >that heat or solvents is going to do the trick. Depending on what the >foreign material actually is, it's also possible that removing/replacing >strings and cleaning everything in sight may not work. >I feel that the condition was caused by another "PRN" rather than the >factory. Otherwise, I can recall at least two instances of a similar >nature. One involved "blow-by" from the kitchen in a restaurant. The >entire piano was absolutely dead within six months. The other was ... >something (Pledge, lemon oil?) applied by an overzealous housekeeper. >Either of these had the same end results as you seem to be experiencing. >Just my take... >Jim Harvey >-----Original Message----- >>>> >Is this normal? Making unisons stable is a bit of a chore. No >>>> >wonder they were warbling & howling. Do they come from the factory >>>> >this way? or did one of the past piana toonas oil everything up? >>>> >>>> >Over lubricated in Laredo, >>>> >Andrew >_______________________________________________ >caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
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