It is hard to follow threads when posts from AOL
clients are often delayed for 24 hours or more. But to address the rattles
and noises, they are usually associated with loose screws unless some little
person decided to toss a marble or coin into one of the plate holes. On a
new grand piano, make sure the legs are bolted on tight. If the leg bolts
are not tight, the washers rattle.
Most often the offending screw is in the lid
hinge. Carefully snug the screws in the hinge. Don't try to tighten
them tight because they strip easily. Loose screws on the big hinges that
hold the lid onto the side of the piano can also be a culprit. There are
also screws that hold the "cups" where the lid prop goes and screws in the music
desk.
Some of the more esoteric things that have caused
rattles and buzzes are: the electric cord on the climate control system is
wrapped over a beam and touching a soundboard rib; the filament in the light
bulb or bulbs in the piano lamp or ceiling fixtures near the piano; the glass in
the picture frames sitting on the piano lid or shelf nearby; the treasures in
the curio cabinet sitting nearby, and ANY piece of paper or cardboard, including
the new piano tag, that is sitting inside the piano.
My favorite piano noise story was the pedals
hissing on a new piano. New house in new neighborhood and new piano.
Local woodsy habitat destroyed to make room for new lawns. Displaced large
snake had taken up residence in the new upright and took umbrage at the pedal
levers moving! Solution was to call animal control people and remove that
neighborhood from my customer database!!
Carol Beigel