Bleuthner, history of piano tuners/technicians

[Ron Torrella]

I've been asked to consider restringing and doing some action work (hammer
and hammershank/flange replacement) on a 1903 Bleuthner (#64301).  The
instrument has a rather anemic sound throughout the trichord section which
may be caused by insufficient downbearing and/or what I believe is a low
tension string scale (the lowest tenor string is #19 and highest soprano
is #13.5).  There's also the possibility that the strike point isn't
correct--the hammers were replaced but the shanks appear to have been
recycled.

Anyone have any specs/insights that might be helpful in deciding whether
or not to tackle this one?  The Renner catalog has what appears to be the
correct replacemenet shank but I don't see any of the "wippen" or
underlever parts in that catalog.  Does Bleuthner even exist in its
original incarnation?

Tied strings!  YIKES!  Anyone have a jig that'll make that work less
taxing on the fingers?

Also, I wonder if there are any scholarly (or even attempts at it)
publications on the history of the piano tuner/technician--as in the
human being, not the machine.  Seems like I saw something approaching
scholarship in the Journal once upon a time.  I've been asked so many
times about the subject that I guess it's time I broke down and did some
studying!  All leads to that material will be appreciated.  (My own
search in our library didn't turn up much of anything.)

Thanks for the help!

Ron Torrella
University of Illinois