Acoustic Pianos

Haych

We have been given an old upright acoustic piano, which used to belong to my daughter's piano teacher, and which I've just moved into the house after which I need spinal surgery!

We had an electric piano in the same spot previously, which is now in the back of the car waiting to go to its new home at mum's place.

The electric piano was quite a bit shorter than the new acoustic and used to sit in front of the radiator in the dining room, but the radiator was still taller than the piano so I didn't mind so much.

Obviously the new piano is much taller than the rad which I'm not too happy about but I also know nothing about looking after an acoustic piano.

Will placing it directly in front of a heat source be detrimental to its condition, performance and tuning stability?

I anticipate a room rearranging happening, which will be a task in itself, but want time for my back to recover and don't want to fubar the piano in the meantime.

thecolourbox

Yes if you intend to have the radiator on, it will mess up the piano. 

At the very least the tuning will go very quickly very quickly, at worst it could warp the wood or the expansion/contraction routine of heating coming on and off could cause structural issues. 

They are difficult to accommodate! Mine is a pain in the arse in the living room really but as it was my Nan's cousin's piano which i bought when her husband passed away (she had died some time before) I can't really get rid of it and there isn't anywhere else I can put it really.

Haych

@thecolourbox, thank you, we'll have to try to rearrange the room as soon as we can then.  It does need a bit of work including a tune so will sort out the room and then get the guy in to overhaul the thing.

As daughters go mine isn't terribly expensive but her piano lessons and everything that goes with it is very worth it.

thecolourbox

They typically benefit from a period of time between being moved and being tuned as well I think, so that probably sounds ideal. 

Glad your daughter is getting on well with the piano - I'd say it's the only really rewarding thing I've ever achieved, and seemingly the only thing my parents like that I do too, so it's definitely a thing of value