Moutrie spinet from Hong Kong

[Wallace Wilson]

This piano doesn't sound like I'd like to mess with it.  If money is a
problem, there is another approach.  Bill Spurlock has a helpful
procedure if there are only a dozen or so loose pins on an upright. 
Basically, loosen the pin enough to pop the wire out of the becket. 
Remove pin.  Dip a hammer shank in CA glue, swab the inside of the hole,
spray kicker in the hole, wait a minute, replace pin, replace coil over
pin & insert becket, and tighten.  voila.  May have to drive pin in. 
I've done this on occasion.  It's economical, relatively fast, and a
reasonable way to extend the useful life of the piano.  
	Part of the solution may depend on their finances.  usually grad
students are struggling to get by.  If they can afford a better piano,
this sounds like the best solution.  If not, you can learn a new
technique, make a little money, and make them happy as clams.  Unless
the plate is on its last legs, as I think you are describing in your
note.  If you're adventurous, you can give it a try.  If you're
cautious, let them get a better piano.

Wally Wilson, RPT
Ravenswood, WV

Dorothy A. Bell wrote:
> 
> Dear List,
> On Saturday I went for "a tuning" at a new client's house. Turns out
> that the family came from Hong Kong to Boston seven months ago on a
> fellowship. For their musical eight-year-old daughter, they had brought
> -- by ship -- a Moutrie spinet. (No serial number visible, no age known,
> had a history of being tuned below pitch according to the mother.)
> The first thing I saw was a felt practice mute in which the felt seemed
> to be nailed to unsanded lath, with a metal cover along the length of
> the lath which had warped out so that it flared away from the wood.
> There were what looked like wrinkles in the plate, particularly just
> above the tenor break -- no visible cracks but the surface looked like
> sculpted wrinkled drapery. The veneer on the case sides was chipped and
> pieces of veneer were missing.
> There were about 10-12 pins which did not hold at all -- when I took my
> hand off the hammer it would spin right back counterclockwise. Tapping
> had no effect (I tried it on one pin). The "spinning pins" were all
> right-hand pins, so I was concerned about pin block failure along the
> lower edge.
> In addition, two of the paired wound bass strings broke while being
> tuned (the second of each pair survived).
> The client conveyed that she truly wanted the piano tuned if at all
> possible. Given the technical situation above, some communication
> difficulty, and the family's financial limits, I ended up tuning to 100
> cents flat (the pitch of A4 when I arrived), felt-muting off the strings
> which absolutely would not hold, and advising the client that she should
> put no more money into this instrument. I gave her names of some
> reliable dealers for sales and rentals.
> Is there anything else I could have done for this client? She told me
> that she plans to call me for advice after she and her husband decide
> how to proceed (sales, rental, keyboard, or whatever).
> Thanks for any advice and direction,
> Dorrie Bell
> 
> Dorothy A. Bell
> Associate Member, PTG