New, Improved Baldwins

[Christopher D. Purdy]

Thank you to everyone who responded.  Looks like I've stirred things up
again.  To answer your questions and add to my thoughts:

The upright models I have tuning pin alignment problems with are mainly our
248's and 243's but I have tuned some smaller scales with that problem too.
Can't remember model numbers like I used to.  I noticed the problem when
Baldwin switched plate suppliers and I assumed this was a bug that would be
worked out.

Likewise, my grand regulation woes came about after their factory move and
I assume they are training new people and so on.  I do wonder if they are
getting the same treatment through the "pounder" since I have never had
problems anywhere near this bad in the past.  I would be willing to bet
that Del's suggestion is correct, that:

>Usually this problem can be traced back to either the original selection of
>the wood or, more commonly, its processing and drying. Each part in the
>action has some 'proper' grain orientation specification both for stability
>and for strength characteristics. If these are not followed the action
>will -- not might, but will -- have stability problems.
>
>It also helps if the wood is brought to some specific moisture content,
>usually about 7.0%, plus-or-minus depending on the wood species and location
>of the plant, and held there long enough for the moisture content to become
>reasonably constant -- i.e., reach its equilibrium moisture content -- and
>stable before being processed.

As for David's questioning:

>I wonder if this might be a disadvantage of the loan programs, that
>the pianos are unstable etc.  Comments on how brand new pianos
>work out over a year of use would be appreciated

As a four year veteran of the loan program, I agree and disagree.  Yes, I
have done extra work to these new pianos in tuning and minor regulation but
never on this scale. That is exactly my point, I have never had to do
complete re-regulation to a new Baldwin grand until this year.  Not only
here at the university but in the years I worked for the Baldwin Cincinnati
retail div. and all the years of tuning for dealers, new Baldwin grands
were usually pretty stable, action-wise.

I support the college loan program in that we get to use good, new pianos
free of charge.  The extra work I have to do is well worth it.  I also want
to say that I am not jumping bad on Baldwin, for the most part I have been
very happy with their pianos.  I assume these problems are temporary as
Baldwin makes factory and supplier changes.  I just wondered if other
people were having the same problems.

chris

-Christopher D. Purdy R.P.T.
-School of Music, Ohio University
-Athens, OH  45701
-mailto:purdy@ohio.edu
-(740) 593-1656 office
-(740) 593-1429 fax