A Little Rusty In Alabama

[Farrell]

Maybe lots, maybe nothing. I have a customer with a lovely 80 year old Baldwin R. Florida & no air conditioning - hot, hot, hot and humid. She had it restrung a few years ago - strings are already heavily rusted - rest of piano is wonderful. When I redid her action many of the regulation screws were frozen.

Terry Farrell
  
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <tune4u@earthlink.net>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, January 08, 2003 8:56 PM
Subject: Re: A Little Rusty In Alabama


I've got a question.

If the strings are that badly moisture-damaged, what else is wrong with this piano?????

Alan Barnard
Salem, MO

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Roger Jolly 
  To: Pianotech 
  Sent: Wednesday, January 08, 2003 7:45 PM
  Subject: Re: A Little Rusty In Alabama



  Hi Tommy,
                      I would opt for a complete re string, and new dampers.  Using the old dampers is false economy in my book.   Some of those rust flakes will be in the felt, and cause sizzle like sounds.
  Regards Roger


  At 06:33 PM 1/8/2003 -0500, you wrote:

    Hello everybody;
         I think I know the answer before I ask the question. 
            Today, I tuned a G-2 Yamaha, probably 1980's. We do not know the history of this instrument but we are checking with the owner who has left this piano in the care and  custody of a larger church in our area. I've never seen so much rust on strings in my entire careeer. It looks like the strings were bathed in salt water and where rust isn't is dark, black streaks on the wires from what appears to be a previous cleaning of rust from the strings. (The silver is missing)  In some places the rust is so thick it can be scraped with a finger nail. 
         Question: How to fix?.... Restring completely???
           Can rusty strings be cleaned and if so how does one prevent rust from re-accumulating? We should not oil unwound strings ......should we? How can rust be cleaned from the inside area of the wire coil and at each pressure point? 
         I brought this rust problem to the attention of the Choir Director. I felt he should contact the owner about this previous existing conditon of the instrument before it was delivered to the church.
         To be perfectly honest, I believe this instrument should be completely restrung especially when strings start "popping". 
         Last question. If a bass string breaks from the "hitch pin",will it 'shoot' toward the key end. I have 'shot' them toward the tail of the piano across the room when broken at the tuning pin but I've never broken a string at the hitch pin area. 
         Mind you, I'm just getting ready to put on my flack jacket and besides the choir director was worried about his pianist.

    Thank you all for your wisdom
    Tommy Black
    A Little Rusty In Decatur, Ala.