PIano Life Saver

[joseph]

We've had a particularly wet summer in Scotland, and the humidity is affecting the action of my piano. Who in Scotland fits the dampp chaser system and how much will it cost to fit one to a six feet grand? PM me if you can't say on the forum.....

thanks

[Barrie Heaton]

Malcom Smith Pianos
Malcom Smith
Edinburgh EH11 3LJ
Tel: 0131 4436224


Gorden Bell Pianos
Gorden Bell
Aberdeen.AB25 1NQ
Tel: 01224 658584


Graham Muir Pianos
Graham Muir
Inverness. IV2 7XL
Tel: 01463 791102


J .Houston Pianos
J .Houston
Clackmannanshire.FK14
Tel: 0131 5394615


they are worth every penny on a grand get them to fit an under blanket as well

as to price you are better asking the fitters

Barrie,

[chrisvenables]

Joseph - where damp is a problem rather than excessive dryness, I'm a believer that the best method is to treat the whole room, not just the area immediately around the piano. It's probably cheaper too. You can buy a decent dehumidifier from B & Q for around £100, just don't have it too close to the piano. You can set the humidity level so the machine only kicks in at say 50% rh which is ideal for a new piano. Monitor the humidity levels with a humidity gauge. You'll almost certainly find the piano's tuning stability will improve considerably too.

[ennjaydee]

I bought a DeLonghi (DEC 14) dehumidifer to treat the whole room but it went faulty so I returned it. After further research I bought a Mitsubishi (MJ-E16VX) which has an accurate humidistat which allows me to set the room at 50%; the unit cuts in at 51% and turns off at 49%, it's excellent. I would strongly recommend this Mitsubishi if you decide to go for a dehumidifer.

[Barrie Heaton]

My concerns with dehumidifiers they take a lot out of the soundboard before it comes out of the action this is very much so on grands - the upside of Life savers they put the moisture back when it is needed, as well as remove it On a 6 foot grand I would place a extra heater under the Keybed as well blanket if it is a damp room.

Having said that it is better to control the room. But most out there leave the dehumidifier on to long a few that I have installed who did use dehumidifier before have noticed an improvement in tonal quality after ruining the life saver for a few months.


Barrie,

[ennjaydee]

Barry raises a good point about the need for humidification as well as dehumidification. If you decide to treat the room rather than just the piano you will probably need a dehumifier for summer months in UK and may need a humidifier during winter as central heating dries the atmosphere. If you choose room treatment it avoids localised issues within the piano but be sure to check humidity levels (a hygometer storing high/low extremes is useful) and best to choose dehumidifier/humidifier products that have auto control via humidistat, so that they switch on and off as required keeping the room within reasonable tolerance levels. Somewhere between 40% in winter and 55% in summer is generally considered okay for the piano and keeps things resonably economical to run.

[Model V]

Joseph,

Is this a modern piano or an old one? I'd be surprised if a good modern instrument were suffering in this way.

MV

[Barrie Heaton]

Joseph,

Is this a modern piano or an old one? I'd be surprised if a good modern instrument were suffering in this way.

MV

We are getting bigger swings in humidity in the UK than we use to, I am seeing some new pianos move 15 cent sharp in simmer and 12 cent flat in winter that is like the swings they get in pats of the US it use to be 5 cents 10 cent in a bad winter in Lancashire. We also have better insulation in homes now, which can make them very dry in winter.

The other big problem the UK is pianos in the next room to conservatory's they store up large amount of heat and humidity you open the door from the house and the piano is blasted with wet worm air in summer and cold dry air in winter New pianos are very susceptible to humidity above 60% as the wood is machined to better tolerances so a closer fit.

Barrie,

[Model V]

15 cent sharp in simmer and 12 cent flat in winter that is like the swings they get in pats of the US it use to be 5 cents 10 cent in a bad winter in Lancashire. [/quote]

Simmer? That would be nice!

[Barrie Heaton]

15 cent sharp in simmer and 12 cent flat in winter that is like the swings they get in pats of the US it use to be 5 cents 10 cent in a bad winter in Lancashire.

Simmer? That would be nice!

One day in May if we are lucky


My summer starts in 9 weeks No phones, no computers and noooooo Pianos Just nice steel drums and guys who say Man a lot and over pronounce there "T" trying to sell me green plants

Barrie,

[Model V]

Fantastic. Got some rays in France in August. Thank goodness we got away as it's been sooooo shite.

[joseph]

Joseph,

Is this a modern piano or an old one? I'd be surprised if a good modern instrument were suffering in this way.

MV

We are getting bigger swings in humidity in the UK than we use to, I am seeing some new pianos move 15 cent sharp in simmer and 12 cent flat in winter that is like the swings they get in pats of the US it use to be 5 cents 10 cent in a bad winter in Lancashire. We also have better insulation in homes now, which can make them very dry in winter.

The other big problem the UK is pianos in the next room to conservatory's they store up large amount of heat and humidity you open the door from the house and the piano is blasted with wet worm air in summer and cold dry air in winter New pianos are very susceptible to humidity above 60% as the wood is machined to better tolerances so a closer fit.

Barrie,

In this part of Scotland, which is basically next to the sea (I'm about a mile from the Tay estuary) it can get up to 75 percent humidity. That's pretty humid and the piano gets a bit sticky. I do have a dehumidifier for the whole house but it's uneconomical to run it all the time, and being a ground floor flat I don't want to leave the windows open for air flow. .. . (well I do but I'd get burgled).

The old Bluthner seems to like this humidity. It lived in Broughty Ferry for 30 years, then it lived in St Andrews for 60 years, then I bought it in 2003 and it's lived in Glasgow and Dundee. The tuning on it hardly swings, Despite the fact it's worn out, it's pretty darn stable!

The new piano, whilst being all round a better instrument musically, swings a fair bit and the action suffers more. I've had it 2 and a half years and it's starting to get used to the weather.... not quite so swingy as it was! I think a dampp chaser would be a good idea to save the rust on the strings. (there isn't any yet as far as I can see but still.....)

[Barrie Heaton]

Bluthners are very solid pianos and tend to stay put I put it down to eye string

As you are by the sea a string blanket will help against the salt air they are more common in the USA than the UK


Barrie,

[vernon]

Barrie
What's a string blanket? Anything like a string vest?
This is about the third reference to pianos this week I've heard that don't mean anything to me.

[Barrie Heaton]

Barrie
What's a string blanket? Anything like a string vest?
This is about the third reference to pianos this week I've heard that don't mean anything to me.

Only 3

see
http://www.edwardsstringcovers.com/

Barrie

[vernon]

Barrie
Don't do it.
Are we having all these good friends of ours, the barmy yanks with these gadgets.?
It's like having willy warmers for joannas.
My daughter in law from Japan who lives here in the Highlands has a fantastic heated Japanese bog seat with :oops: wiper and heated jets to warm all your cockles. I'm looking at possibilties for piano stools) forgive the pun(

[PianoGuy]

My daughter in law from Japan who lives here in the Highlands has a fantastic heated Japanese bog seat with wiper and heated jets to warm all your cockles. I'm looking at possibilties for piano stools) forgive the pun(

It's called a Warmlet.



Just fitted one to my outside privy!

[Barrie Heaton]

My daughter in law from Japan who lives here in the Highlands has a fantastic heated Japanese bog seat with wiper and heated jets to warm all your cockles. I'm looking at possibilties for piano stools) forgive the pun(

It's called a Warmlet.


Just fitted one to my outside privy!

Is that the one with the built in web cam the Japanese seem to be found of filming everything

Barrie,

[Barrie Heaton]

Barrie
Don't do it.
Are we having all these good friends of ours, the barmy yanks with these gadgets.?
(

I take if you will not be buying the new toy form F&N then yet more barmy yank stuff


The NucklJack (their Sp not mine ) with video

Have got one myself can't resits gadgets use it Yesterday on an old Chappell make lining the jack up a lot simpler when your eyes are not as good as they use to be

Barrie

[vernon]

Barrie
That does look like a useful gadget, the Nuckljack.
PG You have only a rudimentary japanese bog! The ones we import are heated and include upward (!) jets and bottom washers. Music is also provided with a programme that emits agreeable sounds in the noisier parts of the process of defecation. The japanese are very meticulous. True.
I think every piano tuner should have one.I know it's wrong to solicit business on this forum but this is important.

Please send orders,plus a cheque for £395, payable to;

Chief Umbopo, Bank of Nigeria( mark it " Slush Fund")