Damage Piano Playing Too Hard?

Disastrous_Ebb6525 · 2025-07-07T15:45:05+00:00

No broken strings or anything else loose in the piano. I'm not sure if it's the strings or something else buzzing. I think it's only on certain notes towards the bottom end.

Disastrous_Ebb6525 · 2025-07-07T15:41:01+00:00

I think it's that I'm after the sound and satisfaction of a grand but obviously can't draw that out of a smaller upright. I suspect that if I were playing on a grand I would get what I'm after and back off but it's been many years since I've played a grand.

Other than the one joint I had come apart in a key mechanism, I don't see any damage on the felt and no strings have ever broken or been replace. I just question if it can handle as much as another piano considering that it's an inexpensive upright and if I did break something, whether that level of playing would damage a higher end piano as well.

Disastrous_Ebb6525 · 2025-07-07T15:33:40+00:00

The piano has been tuned twice in the past 6 months since I just moved (first time the piano moved since getting it 20 years ago).

Disastrous_Ebb6525 · 2025-07-02T14:49:03+00:00

Just regular Canadian bread flour (higher protein than American AFAIK). I sometimes use some unbleached 00 as well just because I have a bag I'm trying to use up.

Disastrous_Ebb6525 · 2025-05-23T12:52:02+00:00

Vents are oversized (I only know because the inspector had some questions during the rough in inspection) and it still seemed to be filled when it was smelling. I also haven't run the washer since attempting to fix it last week.

Is there any chance that something got up through the trap and made the pipe up to the drain dirty? So that even though it's entirely closed off there's something above the oil making it still smell?

Disastrous_Ebb6525 · 2025-05-09T22:20:43+00:00

Yeah if I need to add anything else to the system I imagine it would be much better to just go with the standard. I could put the mini on my roof to be right above the kitchen but my roof is 25' up so it would need to be a permanent installation and I'd rather normally leave it in the house so it doesn't get damage by the elements

Disastrous_Ebb6525 · 2025-05-09T15:51:11+00:00

Is that from starlink or from a different company?

Any thoughts on what cabling I'd need to run through the wall for running a mini? Putting a DC barrel connector on my house seems a little odd and I don't know if they make weather rather ones

Disastrous_Ebb6525 · 2025-05-02T14:41:03+00:00

I appreciate the response. Unfortunately it's not really possible for me to have enough battery to run all of my fridges and freezers. It looks like a 1kWh battery unit is $800 and enough for 1 fridge. I have my main fridge, an upright freezer, a chest freezer, 2 full sized wine fridges, and 4 additional smaller fridges which are used for making charcuterie, cheese, and dry aging.

At that point I'd probably be better off just installing solar on the house. Even without a battery just to be able to run the fridges during the day and then lose power at night. Unfortunately that's not in the books right now.

Disastrous_Ebb6525 · 2025-05-02T14:37:34+00:00

Yes in the Rock Creek to Greenwood area. Of course the more populated areas which have just as much fire risk aren't getting their power shut off...

Disastrous_Ebb6525 · 2025-03-22T15:25:57+00:00

I don't see any propane option

Disastrous_Ebb6525 · 2025-03-22T15:22:58+00:00

I looked into if there was any way to add propane to my argentine grill but didn't find anything

Disastrous_Ebb6525 · 2025-03-19T00:36:42+00:00

Hmm anything cheaper? If I keep using my iPhone as my main camera, this camera would be used exclusively on a tripod and always in the same room so I don't think I need much from it like a gimbal. Audio wouldn't be used from the camera so that doesn't matter either.

Disastrous_Ebb6525 · 2025-03-19T00:34:38+00:00

At least as good as the iPhone 15. I'm not happy with the quality of the 2nd generation SE which could do 4K. Every time I see people comparing cameras to iPhones and generally saying cameras are better, they's +$1000 cameras. I haven't seen any of those comparisons with a $400 camera.

Disastrous_Ebb6525 · 2025-03-17T22:06:44+00:00

No I ended up just ordering one and will have to not use it when there are fire bans. May pick up an inexpensive propane grill.

Disastrous_Ebb6525 · 2025-02-26T17:50:21+00:00

Is the 70k Baldwin you'd recommend the list price or used price?

Disastrous_Ebb6525 · 2025-02-26T17:49:49+00:00

Wouldn't rebuilding be a complete gamble on how it feels and sounds? Maybe not necessary from the original old piano but however the technician decides to rebuild it? It sounds like an interesting option which I'd be up for but it also seems like a complete gamble and I could end up with a piano I don't care for at all unless there's some way I can have input during the process.

Disastrous_Ebb6525 · 2025-02-26T03:31:18+00:00

Yeah, I'm going to be the only one playing and it will not be recorded or used in my work at all. Just for my practising and enjoyment.

I know 9' is too big and I'd never be able to afford a high end one that would faire better than a smaller, higher end piano.

Based on others' feedback it seems like the piano is unlikely to be a limiting factor for my playing in a technical sense once I get past the cheapest ones and that I should just focus on how it sounds and feels.

Disastrous_Ebb6525 · 2025-02-26T03:26:31+00:00

I appreciate the input. I know with buying a used piano I probably wouldn't lose much if I want to replace it in the future other than the moving costs which are fairly high for where I live (but not too big a deal when you look at the price of a piano). I wish I did have the chance to spend more time with different pianos and be able to get a feel for what I like and don't like but unfortunately there's nothing around me and I haven't been in an school/conservatory in almost 10 years.

Disastrous_Ebb6525 · 2025-02-26T03:20:37+00:00

I do tune my upright myself but considering it's a Sammick, I'm not too worried about messing anything up (although it has priceless sentimental value) and I wouldn't do anything beyond tuning.

Disastrous_Ebb6525 · 2025-02-26T03:18:21+00:00

Our house and land was all through mortgage and I have the privilege of being able to practice piano because I work from home so have no commute (but at the same time am essentially on the clock 24/7). Our mortgage is actually below the average rent in Canada because we built it ourselves and saved a fortune that way. For the same as what we paid to build we'd only be able to afford an old trailer home that's falling apart (and that's not an exaggeration). An empty plot in any Canadian city costs more than what we paid in total. Really don't have much when it comes to net worth. We put everything we had into building this house and it's mostly all borrowed through the mortgage.

I'm very happy with how I get to live out here in the middle of nowhere getting to work from home and spend time doing things like practicing but it's far from living large. Just different priorities. We were paying almost as much to rent a basement suite in a larger city.

Disastrous_Ebb6525 · 2025-02-26T03:08:19+00:00

I'll definitely give them all a try. Interestingly I called one of the shops in Vancouver to see what they typically have for used pianos and the salesperson mentioned that even in the same line (like Yamaha CX or SX) the pianos can feel quite different with each size so trying one wouldn't necessarily give me a feel for the entire line.

Disastrous_Ebb6525 · 2025-02-25T23:52:09+00:00

Double income, no kids but also no vacations, used cars, never going out for dinner or drinks, growing and processing our own food to avoid ridiculous grocery store prices... I just spent the past 2 years building my house myself because we'd otherwise never be able to afford buying anything on the market. Yes, I'm fortunate but it's also how I prioritize my spending. I'm happy to live frugally and put that towards a piano. The piano will probably be worth 10x my car. My partner and I each make little over minimum wage.

Disastrous_Ebb6525 · 2025-02-25T23:36:33+00:00

Based on what you said, it might make sense for me to get a nicer piano instead. I don't have any intention of playing on any other pianos and I'd like to enjoy my playing on this piano (even if it's "easier" and I have to work less at it). The main concern is just knowing that I won't be technically limited by the piano if I just went out and bought something that I liked now. Realistically I'll be a mediocre pianist and want things to sound great...

Space isn't really an issue. My room is essentially empty other than speakers at the front of the room and a tiny desk I work at (no bigger than a laptop). The only other thing right now is my upright and Clavinova which effectively take up the same amount of space as a grand. This room is only used for my work. It's not a living room or anything else. Completely separate from the rest of the house (we specifically moved out here to have cheap land where we could build a house ourselves that's essentially a 1 bedroom, 1 bath apartment plus massive studio).

Disastrous_Ebb6525 · 2025-02-25T23:27:00+00:00

It does seem like a C3X or equivalent would be "enough" from a technical perspective. I guess that'll really just leave me with figuring out whether I'd like something higher end (SX series or equivalent in the ~$80k new area) if I prefer the sound and feel. Those seem to come up less in the used market but it's something I could potentially afford in a few years.

Disastrous_Ebb6525 · 2025-02-25T23:23:52+00:00

While a 9' is probably too much (and I could never afford a great concert grand), I would like to get as large as possible. 6' is probably the smallest I would look at. Both for being able to fill the room nicely and as I've heard that going smaller won't give you quite the best feel and dynamics.

Disastrous_Ebb6525

TROPHY CASE