What piano technician with any time in the business has not encountered a number of interesting situations? How many times have you regaled family and friends with a humorous tale or a horror story? I could use your help. I am looking for great Piano Stories to include in an upcoming book and I'll bet you have one or two you would love to share. To make it easy I've set up a website for the purpose. Please do not be concerned with writing ability. Just send the story and let me do the work. Come visit us today at http://www.PianoStories.net for more information and to submit your stories.

Hope to hear from you soon.

David Mayfield
PTG Associate Member, Author

Some console models have end-hinged lids which are meant to be raised to resemble a grand. Among those, the lids of certain manufacturers (such as Yamaha, Young Chang, and the new Acrosonic consoles by Baldwin) are easily removed by sliding them off two short pins or lifting them off a notched long hinge pin which is rotated 90 degrees. However, other makes, such as older Kimballs, have a single fixed hinge from which the lid cannot be removed, thereby making tuning rather difficult. For pianos such as these, I have found a very simple solution for keeping the lid adequately elevated and secure for servicing. I remove the soft pedal rod from the soft pedal lever, and use it as a lid prop stick. Insert one end into the cup on the underside of the lid, and rest the other end on the keybed or a notch or ledge on the inside of the cabinetry on the treble side of the case. This will keep the lid elevated about 2 feet above the shelf at an angle of about 45 degrees, providing full access to the tuning pins and ample room to turn the tuning hammer. Although the access is somewhat reduced in the lowest bass, there is still always enough room to reach the pins to tune.