Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-29
CARE OF THE PIANO.
Moths an Evil to Beware of-Fre
quent Tuning Needed.
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
AS she had purchased the piano only
three months before and as it was a
high-pr1ced instrument made by a lead
ing manufacturer, the owner was sur
prised when it developed a series Of
wheezy, rafting responses to her touch
on several keys. She informed the
dealer from whom she had purchased
the instrument and tuner was sent to
examine into the matter. He ran his
fingers over the keys and promptly
said:
'.The piano IL moth eaten
"A moth-eaten piano!" the owner ex-
claimed in surprise. II never heard Of
Every likely" said the tuner. but /
have heard of it very frequently. and
surprise over a moth-eaten plano is
nothing new to me.
There is nothing that moths like bet
ter than to revel in the interior of a
piano. The soft cloth and leather used
on and about the delicate mechanism of
a piano and on the keeping Of which
whole and intact the smoothness and
harm6nizinE results Of contact with
hammers and wires depend. offer forage
peculiarly pleasing to moths.
In their ravenous way they are not
long in eating those materials away
workings of the instrument and bring.
| ing about the result these materials are
| put there to prevent. That Is what has
happened here, l think.
The tuner opened the piano, uncov-
, cred its maze Of strings, pins and wires
and its rows Of delicate hammers. Sew
eral small piles of fine snowy dust re-
vealed the presence of the moths. They
had eaten the cloth away in many
places The surprise of the owner gave
W. " IN fndiprn tim which the assurance
Of the tuner that the damage could be
easily repaired and that future invasion
of the moths could be prevented by
busting out the interior Of the instru-
feather buster did not lessen. Then he
| surprised quite as much as he had be-
fore by saying, abruptly:
1.-The piano needs tuning, madam"
"Impossible!' she exclaimed. why. 1t
has been in use but three months! A
good plano should remain in tune a
year,"
"A common error among non-profes-
sional pianists,':. said the tuner. 1T is
really surprising what Ignorance pre-
walls in regard to this popular instru-
| ment.
1.-The principal object with the best
piano makers is to have their instru-
ments stand in tune well. Unless they
| beauty of finish they impart to them
will be of only superficial value. But
| even pianos bearing the names of famous
| makers are often disappointing in this
respect And there Is good reason for it.
"See how the musical part of a piano
is made. The myriad of steel pins that
hold the numerous wires are driven
into solid blocks Of wood. and in order
that this wood may retain firm hold
Of the pins and yet admit OF them being
tuned by the tuners hammer not only
are great care and skill necessary In
| the fitting of them, but 1t Is absolutely
requisite that the wood Of which the
| pin blocks are made should be OF the
very best seasoned material.
Outdoor seasoning is the only method
| by which this wood may be perfectly
| cured for this purpose, no matter what
the kiln driers hold to the contrary.
Outdoor seasoning requires long time
and the keeping on hand Of immense
stocks Of expensive timber by the manu-
facturer. representing an investment OF
| many thousands of dollars. Not all
manufacturers can afford to keep so
much capital lying Idle, Ia, ana a., SO very
in pianos. To the use OF kiln-dried
| material il due the great increase in
the number Of piano makers in this coun-
! try during several years past.
music rooms, especially hot air from fur
naces, acts directly on the hln-dried
pin board. and no piano containing one
can be made to stand in tune after 1t
| wood shrinks gradually and the pins
move in the block from every hard blow
of the hammers on the wires.
"As to the action OF furnace heat on
pianos, 1t injuries those even OF the best
makers. 1t warps the keys. loosens the
hold of the great number Of screws used
in the wood and causes the keys to
stick or rattle, thus sadly affecting the
action Of the instrument piano should
be kept away from the direct influence
| of furnace heat as much as possible"