Yamaha out of tune (THE SOLUTION)

Elian Degen degen@telcel.net.ve
Wed, 2 Sep 1998 23:20:44 -0400


Hello List

First of all, thank you very much for all the answers, everybody helped a
little, and every answer is worth taken in consideration, if it is not
usefull now it will be in a future.

I just came back from what I think is the solution to the problem.

First I am going to answer to some of your questions, Yesterday i was mute,
because I formated my hard disk to install Win98 full (not the upgrade)
(Very satisfactory )

BopPiano@aol.com wrote on 08/29/98

>First, I would look for drafts  (is there an air conditioner or other
situation causing fluctuation)

No air fluctuation, no air conditioning.

 >Next, are the plate bolts adequately tight ?

I checked them today, Yes

Avery wrote on 08/29/98

> the tightness of the plate screws.

Ok

>you might also take loose some strings to check the tightness of the bridge
pins.

I checked it today,  all ok

Newton wrote on 08/30/98

>What you are describing is behavior common to changes in humidity.

That is what had me puzzled, the area where the piano is, is a dry area and
the owners said that was always like this.

Joe Goss wrote on 08/30/98

Elian,
>Just curious as to your method of tuning, Is it middle string then outside,
left to right. This could be a factor if >there is not enough room for the
strings to move without friction on their neighboring.
>Joe Goss

I have several methods, I  tune auraly when I donīt have to change pitch or
piano is stable starting with a felt covering 2 central octaves I tune them
using fifth and fourth and check with thirds and 12th and folow to tune
upurds to the trebble and finally centre to bass,

For this piano,  I used a Yamaha PT 100II tunning as you said the first two
tunnings, and tunning higher, and afterwards I tuned auraly about 8 more
times, to the date, anyway it was not the tunning as I have several Yamahas
that hold even for more than a year with a satisfied customer.

BopPiano@aol.com wrote on 08/30/98

>This would be typical of climatic fluctuations especially if the bass stays
very close to where it was left.  If, >from string to string

After checking everything again today I really became convinced that
something was happening there and nobody told me about, so at the end of my
inspection, I tuned the piano again, and I had my customer to come and talk
to me.

Roger Jolly wrote on 08/30/98

>It would be well worth while to take a hammer shank and lightly tap all the
strings to the bridges. I have never >seen bad coils on Yamaha's but this is
worth a visual check.

Tried it also today...   ok

Jon Page wrote 08/30/98

Elian,
>1/2 beat ?  So what. In how long ?

A week apart

 >Maybe this piano needs a longer time period to settle since it  was
neglected for so long a time. How many >tunings have you given it since it
was pulled up?  about  8  , 9 with today

I think I pretty much covered the questions, now, here is what I found.

Once my client arrived, I exposed him with all the facts, and I told him
that the piano was in excellent shape, that there must be an outside effect.

He thought about it and said he couldnīt make out what,

Then arrived the pianist, his daughter. I told her what I tried, and that
everything showed that the piano was affected by climate or humidity, and
GUESS WHAT.

The Daughter, has respiratory problems, and sometimes practices the piano
with an electric vaporizer near by, which lets out lots of steam.  Imagine
jumps in hummidity from around 50% to 90% back and forth. And no one was
aware of that, In fact if I donīt insist, the didnīt notice this fact.

At least, I hope that is the reason, I told them not to use the vaporizer in
the room, and I would go and check on the piano in two weeks time.

Elian Degen


















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