[pianotech] Rusty Steinway M

[Greg Newell]

Steven,

                What about mold? Water weight in the hammers would make it
sound significantly different to your customer. Can you dry a hammer and
iron the shoulders enough to see if it can be brought back tonally? If there
is a significant amount of rust it will need to be restrung. I’d certainly
want to dry out the board quite a bit. Do you notice any compression ridges?
How about warped keys etc.? This might be a candidate for totaled. Get the
insurance claim and have her buy another. This is why we all carry insurance
anyway isn’t it? Seems this isn’t a frivolous or fraudulent claim.

 

Greg Newell

Greg's Piano Forté

www.gregspianoforte.com

216-226-3791 (office)

216-470-8634 (mobile)

 

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Steven Hopp
Sent: Monday, December 08, 2008 10:05 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: [pianotech] Rusty Steinway M

 

Hello,
 
I was called to give my evaluation of a Steinway M that was in a home flood.
The water reached a few to several inches deep in the room and lasted about
12 hours before clean-up started.  The clean up crew at one point used
dehumidifiers that ultimately pulled over 5 gallons of water from the air in
the room housing the piano.
 
Upon evalution I saw unbelivable rust on the tuning pins and the first 2
inches of the strings.  OK maybe not unbelivable but really significant.
Also one agraffe was broken.  The customer seemed suprised by this and
stated only that she could tell it was not the same as before the flood.
The case is in fair shape with some spots needing refinishing from
scratches.
 
The difficulty is this is an insurance claim and I can not honestly say
whether such a rust condition happened in the last year and was caused by
the flood.  I want to be honest and still assist my customer. My customer
insits that it was not like this a year ago.  
 
Does anyone think this condition could happen that soon?  I have pictures
and would be willing to and am asking for help off list because my pictures
are large files and I think the administrator doesn't like them?  I am also
hoping to speak to someone in the central texas or eastern new mexico or
Oklahoma area who might like to help me do the restoration.  I am nowhere
near qualified to tackle such a project.  My contact information is as
follows:
 
Steven J. Hopp
hoppsmusic at hotmail.com
432-770-7473
 
Many thanks for replies and interest. 

  _____  

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