I asked my client to call me and let me know what the exterminator says. Will keep you posted if he lets me know. James Grebe R.P.T. from St. Louis pianoman@inlink.com "I am only as good as my last tuning" ---------- > From: Greg Torres <Tunapiana@adisfwb.com> > To: pianotech@ptg.org > Subject: Re: new one > Date: Friday, December 19, 1997 3:56 AM > > Pianoman, > > I have heard of an insect called the "powder-post beetle" and I have heard > from other techs that they can tear up a piano similar to the way termites do > but only quicker. Looking forward to the bug man's diagnosis.... > > Regards, > Greg Torres > > Pianoman wrote: > > > Today I ran across something I have never seen before. This fellow called > > me up for a tuning appointment for his Baldwin console. It had been about > > 5 years since last tuned and he said he thought he had a bug problem as > > something had eaten through the protective felt covering over the pinblock. > > When I got there this morning and opened the lid, WOW. There was one place > > about 4 inches in diameter eaten through down into the wood in back of the > > pinblock and directly above that into the bottom surface of the lid. I > > told him that the felt covering should be removed so we could see the > > extent of the damage. He tore it off and all along the top were gaping > > holes and the space between the back post ends were hollow from being eaten > > away. In addition, I guess because the filler block had been eaten away > > the pinblock was separated from the back about 1/8" or so . The dampers > > were not raising from the strings properly and the pitch was over -120c > > flat in the middle and worse towards the treble end. I told him that the > > normal fix was to pull the front to the back with clamps and put in lag > > screws gluing everything back together but the problem was that there is > > nothing to glue the pinblock back to. Strangely enough there was no other > > damage over the rest of the piano inside or out. I don't know enough about > > termites but it would seem that they would be damaging something else close > > by. He said the piano had been in the same place for over 10 years. I > > advised that he call an exterminator to check out the damage and to see if > > he could recognize the perpetrator. The eaten away part was a drab gray > > flaky color. I advised also to check with his insurance to see if he had > > any coverage due to insect damage and wrote on his receipt that I thought > > the piano was a total loss and see if that would get him anywhere. > > Remember this is not in the tropics where this may be common, it is the St. > > Louis suburbs not far from where I live. > > Do you think I gave the right advice? > > > > James Grebe > > R.P.T. from St. Louis > > pianoman@inlink.com > > "I am only as good as my last tuning" > > >
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC