[pianotech] Thermoworks hygrometers, etc.

[Ron Nossaman]

On 9/9/2012 7:54 PM, Rob McCall wrote:
> Ron,
>
> That's how I use it. I educate them as to how humidity has an effect
> on their piano's tuning. Then I show them where the current RH and
> temp is and then it is written on their invoice.  When I come back in
> 6 months we repeat the process.  They see how it works and they're
> happy.

Exactly. It's real. It makes sense. It's measurable by real world 
instrumentation. Nobody's invoking mystical little invisible smoke 
emitting demons, and the story doesn't change. Just not lying to them 
for a buck (as they're used to if they've paid attention) goes a long way.


>And then they tune their piano twice a year because they
> notice the change in the seasons.

Except educational institutions who contract tuning twice a year. They 
tune to the calender, so everything goes out of tune a month later when 
the weather changes, and the pianos are maximally out of tune for the 
maximum time through the year - in perpetuity.


> It's especially fun when I turn it on during the Santa Ana winds we
> have out here and they see 10% or less... :-)

Yep, followed by the 78% reading next trip. <G>

Actually all this works when you can get them to hear and understand 
"humidity" when you say humidity, where the typical reaction is to hear 
"temperature" whatever you say. That's a tough leap for some reason.

Ron N