Pianists and their lack of knowledge about their instrument

[Roeland]

I am doing what I can to keep humidity in control for my piano: I have a humidifier and a de-humidifier.And I am sure that this helps the piano staying tuned.I check the humidity every day.
Maybe a trivial question: what can I use best to clean the piano? Mine has a black polished surface.When I use a towel with water this still gives ugly spots.Someone told me to use the same fluid that is used to clean windows, but a tuner told me that this ruins the polish.

Thanks
Roeland

[rob]

I am doing what I can to keep humidity in control for my piano: I have a humidifier and a de-humidifier.And I am sure that this helps the piano staying tuned.I check the humidity every day.
Maybe a trivial question: what can I use best to clean the piano? Mine has a black polished surface.When I use a towel with water this still gives ugly spots.Someone told me to use the same fluid that is used to clean windows, but a tuner told me that this ruins the polish.

Thanks
Roeland

Window cleaner usually has a mild acid in it - often vinegar (acetic acid), so that would certainly destroy the polish....

[Roeland]

I am doing what I can to keep humidity in control for my piano: I have a humidifier and a de-humidifier.And I am sure that this helps the piano staying tuned.I check the humidity every day.
Maybe a trivial question: what can I use best to clean the piano? Mine has a black polished surface.When I use a towel with water this still gives ugly spots.Someone told me to use the same fluid that is used to clean windows, but a tuner told me that this ruins the polish.

Thanks
Roeland

Window cleaner usually has a mild acid in it - often vinegar (acetic acid), so that would certainly destroy the polish....

Thanks Rob.The "manual" of my piano only says that I have to avoid using aggresive fluids, without any further explanation.Such manuals are more and more designed by lawyers that have to prevent the manufacturers of being sued.

[fastscot]

I started piano lessons when I was six and we had an old upright in our house. I always had a desire to find out how things worked (the engineer in me) so by the time I was in my mid teens I had already figured out how to repair, tune and regulate my old upright! I even replaced a bass string once - I was playing one of the heavy handed Dave Brubeck numbers from the Time-out album and a string snapped and flew right out of the top of the piano which was open at the time!! I believe all serious pianists should at least have a basic understanding of the piano's mechanism and know how the voicing process works. With modern, accurate electronic tuners, anyone can learn how to tune a piano - even if you're tone deaf! There is nothing more satisfying than tuning and voicing your own piano to sound exactly the way you want it to sound

Neil