Piano Warrenty/False Beats

[Farrell]

>" I don't mean to be overly critical here, but I have trouble thinking that
> the bridge pins should be coming loose at 9 years of age under normal
> environmental conditions."

Thanks for the input Brian. The house is air-conditioned. Windows are kept
shut. Piano is on inside wall. Good Damp-Chaser installation. Lid kept
closed most of the time. False beats stop completely with light pressure
directly on top of the bridge pin for the offending note. Is there any other
possible explanation other than a loose bridge pin?

Terry Farrell
Piano Tuning & Service
Tampa, Florida
mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Brian Trout" <btrout@desupernet.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, January 14, 2001 7:36 PM
Subject: Re: Piano Warrenty/False Beats


> I'm with you on this one, Terry.
>
> If those bridge pins are indeed loose, I believe it is a warranty issue.
> (It's something that certainly won't improve with the passing of time,
> either!  Those bridge pins aren't "Steinway hammers" that have to be
'broken
> in' over the course of years. <insert small bit of sarcastic overtone
> here...>
>
> I've recapped bridges from pianos close to 100 years old that had bridge
> pins so tight that I almost couldn't get the old pins out.
>
> I don't mean to be overly critical here, but I have trouble thinking that
> the bridge pins should be coming loose at 9 years of age under normal
> environmental conditions.  It don't seem right to me...  but I am kinda
> fussy 'bout such things.
>
> Now, that being said... I'm gonna rattle on a bit...  It is possible to
pull
> the bridge pins, redrill the holes for the next sized pins, and insert the
> next sized pins, provided there's a wide enough footprint where the
strings
> lay across the top of the bridge for the strings to fit between the larger
> bridge pins.  (I don't recall how Bostons are spaced.)  It's not something
> I'd particularly like to do, but it might be an option if it looks like
the
> bridge is actually in pretty decent condition.  It's also all too easy to
> break off drill bits in the holes even if you're pretty good with that
> drill.  It's still a pain letting down the tension, moving the strings out
> of the way, etc., etc..., but you could do it in small sections if you
> wanted to, and pretty much maintain most of the tension on the piano while
> you work.  If you went with a full blown recapping, you'd need to lower
the
> tension on the whole piano.  Going cheaper yet, you could go with pulling
> the pins and putting epoxy in the holes, and driving in the same sized
pins.
> But I don't know how I might feel about that being an acceptable 'warranty
> replacement'.  Functionally, I would think it might be just fine, but it
> seems to be getting farther into the realm of the appearance of
questionable
> repairs.  CA is probably the next option on my little list, but that
doesn't
> seem right to me either, not for a true warranty repair.
>
> Just some miscellaneous thoughts, Terry.  I vote for it being a warranty
> issue (not that my opinion amounts to a hill of beans!) ;-)   I wonder who
> it would be that would be the warrantor?  Steinway?  Kawai?  Both?
Neither?
> Hmmm...
>
> I'd be curious to see what the person holding the warranty has to say.  It
> would be interesting.  Let us know, 'k?!!
>
> Take care, & good luck.
>
> Brian Trout
> Quarryville, PA
> btrout@desupernet.net
>
>