Low humidity

ShiroKuro · 2026-01-19T11:44:13+00:00

Ugh, we’re having a cold snap and the indoor humidity in the piano room has dropped to just below 30%. I have a humidifier running in there, but this space is too open so it’s hard to isolate the humidifier. I’m wondering if there’s anything else I can do… I’d rather have it above 30%, but if I can at least keep it above 25% it should be ok. It’s supposed to warm up a bit tomorrow, then after Friday there is supposed to be another stretch of extra cold nights for maybe 7 days.

ShiroKuro

pianocat Oh my! that is noticeable! Wow!

pianoloverus it makes sense to file a warranty claim.

Oh definitely! I certainly didn't mean to imply otherwise.

raagamuffin

pianocat

That stinks. It looks like a clean crack from side to side.
Good thing it's under warranty !

I'd be curious to hear from others with experience; if soundboards always crack this way (from one side to the other) or smaller cracks that can also occur.

ShiroKuro

Re @raagamuffin ’s question about how cracks form or their direction, I would guess it has something to do with how the soundboard is constructed?

@pianocat do give us an update when you hear back about the warranty claim. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you!

Gombessa

pianocat Oof, So sorry to hear that. Getting a crack 2 years in is crazy. Glad Kawai is taking care of it for you. Do you know what they're going to do? It either shim or replace the entire piano?

pianocat

I haven't heard from them beyond the initial contact last week, but the email indicated they were shipping a replacement. More to follow when I know more!

rsl12

Wow, shipping a replacement piano or a replacement soundboard?? Probably the latter, right?

pianocat

Unknown, I won't know more until I hear back from them. But you can't just swap a soundboard. Certainly not in the home; that requires a bench and a considerable amount of deconstruction.

pianoloverus

Gombessa It would not be fair to just shim the crack because that would diminish the value of the piano significantly. Also, if one crack appeared that probably means the chances of additional cracks later on is higher than normal.

ShiroKuro

Wow, @pianocat ! This sounds like good news to me, since (unlike @rsl12 ) I assume that they mean a replacement piano.

Anyway, keep us posted!

Gombessa

I know that Kawai is big enough where they deliver in-crate from factory to home in some cases (in some countries).

Pianocat, make sure you get a couple of tunings and any as-needed delivery regulation. Best of luck!

pianocat

Bumping this thread from February (!) to say: my replacement piano finally arrived at the local store last week. They're coming this Friday to swap them out! I'm happy this will finally be done, but still a little bummed I lose the original instrument since I liked it so much. Hopefully the sound of the new one is at least as pleasant to my ear as the old one.

I did end up installing a humidifier for the house, which I should have done years ago because it made the rest of the winter more pleasant in the home.

TulipAcid

pianocat

I'm so glad this worked out for you.

Didn't know lack of humidity would be an issue in Virginia!

Here in Minnesota winters I struggle to keep the house anywhere near the recommended 40% for my small(ish) string instruments. Have to use boveda packs in the cases.

Which is why I'm glad lack of space downstairs (not gonna haul a piano upstairs to my studio) prevents me from wanting an acoustic piano.

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