Taylor 5565 Hygrometer: Review
It’s impossible to talk about pianos, piano tuning, and piano care without talking about humidity.
(Click on each picture above for a larger view!)
A first step in understanding how humidity is effecting the piano, is knowing what the humidity is in the home or room where the piano is located.
Here is a hygrometer I like: Taylor 5565 Hygrometer/Thermometer . Its easy to read and never needs a battery replacement. But what I really like about it, are the calibration ‘screws ‘ accessible from the back (see above photo), which are used to calibrate both hygrometer and thermometer to a sling psychrometer.
Many customers buy one a few weeks before my next visit so I can calibrate it while I’m there. If you already have one, I always check the calibration, and adjust it if necessary, when servicing your piano.
I am not a fan of most ‘digital’ hygrometers.
We brought 3 or 4 small digital hygrometers with us when we moved to Tucson. With fresh batteries in each, I placed them side by side and after a few days each gave a different humidity reading. And it was not only a percent or two. There was a 15 % – 20% difference between them. And there was no way to calibrate them.
I’m sure there are accurate digital hygrometers out there. Our HVAC guy has one that costs about $400 and of course, it checks out just fine. It’s a commercial model for making instant temperature and humidity measurements while doing Air Conditioner work.
Some digital hygrometers can be reasonably accurate in the midrange, but in the dry or more humid ranges, my experience indicates they loose some accuracy.
Make sure the hygrometer you get can be calibrated.
So, I like this analog Taylor 5565. Many vendors, including Amazon, carry this Taylor 5565 Hygrometer.
I’ve had one of these for some years now, I know it works great, and feel good recommending it.
I’m seeing other analogue hygrometers with calibration screws on the back which might be worth considering. Some are small, and I think are intended for ‘cigar’ humidors. But I have no experience with them.
Bob, The piano sounds beautiful! I did some recording of it tonight. Suzanne
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Bob, Thank you for bringing my piano back to life! It sounds beautiful! Linda
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Hi Bob. . . Yamaha sounds fantastic! Great Job! Thanks so much, Carol & Wayne
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Bob, my piano sounds much better! I'm impressed with your ear and your knowledge.
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dear bob, just wanting to tell you, piano sounded great. yours is the best tuning I’ve had in years. let’s set up another time for some more magic.
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Hi Bob The piano sounds beautiful. Thank you. I’ll put you on the calendar for next year.
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Bob, I just wanted to tell you how wonderful the tuning job was, I never heard the piano sound better, either I am getting older and cannot hear or you are getting better, I think it is the latter. You...
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. . . the piano sounds great!
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Thank you, Bob, for the fabulous job you did with our piano. It sounds wonderful! Regards, Meryl Wade
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Thank you so much. We feel really grateful to have you keeping our piano in working condition. It’s so nice to have someone we can trust and who always does such a great job.
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Bob, I have owned the 1904 upright you recently tuned for over 50 years. I don’t know what magic you did, but I must compliment you! My sturdy old friend has never sounded better in all the years I have owned...
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Hi Bob. Thank you so much for the exceptional job you did tuning my husband’s old piano back on February 13th. He was thrilled and it sounds just gorgeous now! Best, Janet Mabon
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Thank you so much, Robert, for the wonderful job you did tuning my very old upright grand piano. Stopped playing long enough to write this review. You worked a miracle and what a thrill to hear those rich bass sounds...
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Just a note regarding my Schimmell grand piano. It sounds fantastic and bell like with very pure tone just like when I bought it. I played it quite a bit this weekend and as you noted one hears every note....
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Good morning Bob…….Thank you for sending the excellent report. It is well written, thorough and….well, perfect! You have mucho expertise when it comes to pianos…..we were lucky to have such a person….
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Very professional. . . . .
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My Hamilton console piano had not been tuned for over 6 years and moved from humid South Carolina to dry Tucson. So I called a friend, who plays the contemporary music at our church, and he immediately recommended Bob Conrad....
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Bob, your class at the Convention was amazing. Now I have a thirst for more. I am interested in your tunings for my SATIV.
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Bob is a great tuner. He has tuned not only my studio piano but those of my my voice and piano students. He’s more than just a tuner, he’s a fine technician as well. He’s a fine musician too, possessing...
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Bob did the best job possible tuning my piano which I had neglected for five years I am ashamed to admit. Thanks Bob it sounds awesome....
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