<html><head><style type="text/css"></style></head><body><div style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12pt"><DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Mission was accomplished today. The local dealer had four B's to choose from. One was noticeably nicer than the others, but had a few "things" that, thanks to insight from the list, will be taken care of by the dealer before delivery. One of the players didn't like it, but the other really liked it. When I interrogated her, she said the touch was uneven. I discovered a lot of what Steve Brady refers to as "side friction" on the keypins. I lubed them, and all of a sudden, she loved the piano, too. Since they didn't observe what I was up to, I am the knight in shining armor. :-)</DIV> <DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif"> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Thanks to all who took the time to offer suggestions,</DIV> <DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif"> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Dave Davis, RPT</DIV> <DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif"> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif">p.s. sorry Ron, the new-car-smell got to 'em.<BR><BR></DIV> <DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif">----- Original Message ----<BR>From: Alan McCoy <amccoy@mail.ewu.edu><BR>To: "College and University Technicians <caut@ptg.org>" <caut@ptg.org><BR>Sent: Friday, July 6, 2007 12:22:02 PM<BR>Subject: Re: [CAUT] Selecting a new B<BR><BR> <DIV>Yet another thing to check for - stripped lid hinge screws that buzz like<BR>crazy. I have noticed this for years on nearly every S&S with as many as 75%<BR>of the screws stripped on lots of pianos. I used to do warranty work for the<BR>local S&S dealer and often had the pleasure of informing the customer who<BR>had just forked over $60,000 for their "dream" piano that I needed to fix a<BR>bunch of stripped screws in the piano. Minor problem compared to others, but<BR>absurd that they haven't fixed it yet. The guys in the factory need to lower<BR>the maximum torque setting on their screwdrivers. End-grain poplar (or alder<BR>or whatever) just doesn't hold all that well anyway, especially when screws<BR>are overdriven. I told them about this issue back in 1992. Still happening.<BR><BR>Alan<BR><BR>-- Alan McCoy, RPT<BR>Eastern Washington University<BR>amccoy@mail.ewu.edu<BR>509-359-4627<BR><BR><BR>> From: Andrew Anderson <andrew@andersonmusic.com><BR>> Reply-To: "College and University Technicians <caut@ptg.org>" <caut@ptg.org><BR>> Date: Mon, 02 Jul 2007 22:34:45 -0500<BR>> To: "College and University Technicians <caut@ptg.org>" <caut@ptg.org><BR>> Subject: Re: [CAUT] Selecting a new B<BR>> <BR>> Dave<BR>> Check string height above the keybed, 7&3/4" +/- 1/8th at note<BR>> 66  (if it is 7&7/8" it really is too tall, I'd much prefer<BR>> 7&5/8")!  Check for over-striking, extra space between shanks and<BR>> felts.  If a bunch of drop screws are broken off at their highest<BR>> setting that's a dead give-away.  Go to the next piano; doesn't<BR>> matter how it sounds if it can't be regulated.  Steinway is barely<BR>> admitting that the problem exists and you don't want to be caught in<BR>> the middle between them and the customer over their QC problem DAMHIK.<BR>> <BR>> If it sounds terrible in the store, get them to fix it there.  If the<BR>> key ratio is way off and the stack is standing on skyscapers<BR>> run.  Same problem above fixed the "Steinway Way".<BR>> <BR>> Be prepared not to find the right piano at the dealership and to ask<BR>> about more/other pianos.<BR>> <BR>> Good Luck,<BR>> Andrew Anderson<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> At 05:14 PM 7/2/2007, you wrote:<BR>>> List,<BR>>> <BR>>> A small local community college is buying a new B and has asked me<BR>>> to tag along during the selection process. In addition to the<BR>>> "normal" inspection items I use to assist a buyer, are there other<BR>>> things that you find are helpful to College and University faculty?<BR>>> <BR>>> Dave Davis, RPT</DIV></DIV> <DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><BR></DIV></div></body></html>