www.joelrsmith.com

Sultana Projects rented our grand for their Annual Gala featuring the Glenn Miller Orchestra.

Tuned a piano last Wednesday for a family with triplets….tuned a piano today(Wednesday) for a different family with triplets…..next Wednesday is going to be Triplet-Family Piano Tuning Day….any family with Triplets can get their piano tuned next Wednesday (9/25/13) for 1/2 price!

The Piano Technicians Guild is an organization that does many things in the Piano Technology area. However, one of the most important aspects is the Accreditation process they offer. Through a series of 3 exams; a written exam, a technical exam, and a tuning exam, a piano technician can become a RPT(Registered Piano Technician).

An Associate Member(which I now am), is typically a technician that is working toward becoming an RPT.

This past July, I passed the written exam while I was in Chicago for the PTG Convention.

In a few weeks I’ll be attending a training session in southeastern PA, for the other 2 components of the exam.

Let the studying begin.

The humidity on Delmarva can have some devastating effects on pianos. Rusting strings and pins, sluggish actions & keys, even mold and mildew. Here’s a relatively new(under 15 years old) Young Chang Studio that lives near the Wicomico River.

That’s some pretty significant rust in a piano that’s not that old. I’ve installed a Piano Life Saver System(dehumidifier and humidistat) to dry out the environment inside the piano.

Here’s the system installed. It won’t correct the rust that’s already occurred, but will keep it from getting any worse.

Many spinet pianos have plastic elbows at the bottom of the lifter rod. (The lifter rod connects the end of the key to the action.) Over time, these plastic elbows can break, causing those keys not to function properly. And yes, they can be replaced.

As you can see, some of these elbows have already been replaced.

We (Salisbury Music & Instrument Repair) moved this piano for the client back in the summer. A bit later I returned to tune it and do some minor repair/action work. It is one of the most exquisite pianos I have ever seen(or worked on). Heavily inlaid, it truly is a work of art. To see pictures of the piano move Go Here.

Cleaning inside a Weber Grand. Pulled the action and cleaning under the strings.

I have 3 of these little felt covered squeegees…I can slip them between the strings to clean the top of the soundboard.

Some of the tools I use for cleaning under the strings.

Left Pic – All the washers and stuff for under the keys
Right Pic – All the keys are back in

All put back together

In the clients home

Today we received our new grand piano tilter from Moon Dog Manufacturing. The yellow bracket thingey bolts in place of the lyre(pedal) assembly. Then the piano can be easily rolled onto it’s side. I’ll be sure to post some pics the first time we use it.

Left Pic – Old key felts, some intact, many mouse eaten
Right Pic – Pulling off the old felts

Left Pic – Replacing key felts with my high tech pusher downer
Right Pic – Now the front row

Left Pic – Front row done
Right Pic – Keys ready to go back in

Both Pics – Keys going back in