DC

[Richard Oliver Snelson]

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Re: DCWell said Alan. If someone is doing this for other than making =
money, he can come tune my piano here at home. A lot of piano technicans =
just do not understand this is a business. With that said, they also =
don't understand how to manage and operate as a business. Oh well, more =
fun to them. I'm trying to keep it both fun and work... Rich
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: tune4u@earthlink.net=20
  To: Pianotech=20
  Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2003 10:10 AM
  Subject: RE: DC


  Well I disagree on a couple of points.

  One: I just installed a full system with bottom cover on my own 1920 =
Geo. Steck Grand. I absolutely believe in the DC. I've seen untunable =
pianos given new life. I've seen soundboard cracks-so wide you could =
watch the owner's dog playing under her 1906 Steinway S-completely close =
up. And I've installed one in a Chickering quarter grand with a terrible =
pinblock that I had struggled to keep in tune for 2 years, owner then =
sold it two months later with the DC intact and it was hauled into the =
hills (literally), I got called to tune by the new owner and the darn =
thing almost needed no tuning--amazingly in tune. And that last piano =
had gone from a well-regulated climate in a manufactured home to an old =
farmhouse using wood-stove heat and it was the dead of winter. I =
honestly can't understand why any tech  who works in an area of wide =
temp/humidity swings and has installed a few systems would not be as =
enthusiastic as I.

  Two: You said "...our primary reason for existance is not to make =
money." To which I say, with respect, bullmuffins. The primary function =
of any business is to make a profit. The primary purpose of any =
employment is to make money. Can we do that with integrity and honesty? =
Absolutely. But I'm not in business to be noble: it's my livelyhood. =
This is NOT a personal critisiscm of you or your operating philosophy, =
but making money is a good thing. I've made quite a lot of money on DC =
systems. And I've made my life simpler--when I tune pianos with DC =
systems I sincerely believe (from experience) that they tune more =
easily, require less pitch correction (if any), hold their tune better, =
and are simply more stable. I would like to see a well =
installed--plugged in and maintained--full DC system in every piano I'm =
asked to tune.

  Nor do I "push" the DC systems or act like the stereotypical life =
insurance salesman. For appropriate situations, I explain how climate =
affects the piano, point out any specific problems with their piano and =
environment, and give them a brochure and/or let them watch the video. I =
quote my price and two-thirds of the time they say "Gimme one."

  I know I'm not the only tech who's enthused about the DC, but I will =
stand down from my soapbox now, gotta go to work. I have 4 upright =
systems and 1 grand DC system sitting in boxes in my living room. I will =
be installing them this week and next.

  Alan Barnard
  Salem, MO=20
    -----Original Message-----
    From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]On =
Behalf Of Armond
    Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2003 7:03 AM
    To: Pianotech
    Subject: Re: DC


    on 2/12/03 2:54 AM, KENNETH FINLAYSON at kennyfin@jetstream.net =
wrote:


      Hi List:

      Time and again I have come across DC installed in a piano, and I =
feel the customer has thrown his money away. What really was wrong was =
tight centre pins, or tight key bushings.=20

      As RPT's, our primary reason for existance is not to make money: =
but to ensure quality piano care within the musical community. I ran =
across another DC recently installed in a brand-new Samick. In my =
opinion, it was a waste of money, which gave satisfaction only to the =
piano store who made a profit by installing it.=20

      I never recommend DC. I don't believe in them. I might someday, =
but it would have to be under very extenuating circumstances.=20

      From David Slolnik, Feb 10, Vol 156 Section 3 :- "In fact, =
Steinway's web site makes absolutely no mention of=20
      DampChasers.  They recommend maintaining the room environment at =
between=20
      45% and 65% by the use of room humidification, dehumidification =
and=20
      air-conditioning.  My experience has been that Steinway has been =
extremely=20
      reticent in recommencing the use of DampChasers, as they have no =
control=20
      over the quality of the installation, nor the dependability of the =
product=20
      itself."

      Kenneth Finlayson, RPT

      the thing is, soundboards, or real ones anyway, create the proper =
tone and curve at 42% humidity.  the string tension against the board =
when strings are tuned at 440cps., also is engineerd to the proper curve =
in the soundboard.  therefore, all soundboards should be kept at 42% =
relative humidty.  granted the DC systems are not the best way to do =
this, but by far the practical way to, and are necessary and there are =
no different opions on the subject because piano engineering is =
mathematical and physical science.

      Armond





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