Hi Patrick > Yes! N not M; I should have turned the page in my Pierce Atlas! Circa 1892 or so. > > > Also > > what color is the iron frame. ? > > Duh -- I forget -- but I live just a couple miles from the guy's house, so I can check next week when he gets home from vacation. > Good to know that. What other details would you like to hear? John L asked > about the capstans -- yes, they are rockers, but they seem pretty time > consuming to adjust, compared to some versions I've encountered. The rockers are not bad to adjust once you get into the swing of it but.... sometimes the screws have frozen into the timber. Use a good screwdriver, a little WD40 to loosen the thread and twist the screw back and forth a little to unfreeze. Remember.. The screws are handmade and the tops can break apart at the slot. Carefull moving them. when adjusting the dampers it is also advisable to twist the wire back and forth to loosen it in its thread. (don't forget to loosen the lock screw) When adjusting the dampers you can see when they start lifting. I generally set this point at 1/3 of the lift. Aprox 1/8". > What are your thoughts on what Brinsmead's pitch standards were, and how much > of a pitch raise would you consider rational for one that's perhaps 150 cents > flat of A440? Not sure but I think that the the origonal pitch of these pianos was A435 called British Standard. I personally am very suss in pulling any piano built prior to 1930 up to A440 as I believe that the strings, after being under tension for 70 years, are due to break. however, because the pitch is so low, it is possible that the strings still have some life in them yet. Still, I would aim for A415 or -100 cents from A440. Remember that when these pianos were built the total string tension was aprox 17 tons not the current 20 +++ odd tons. > Do Aussies use CA on these pinblocks, or just tune them every month? The first I have heard of using CA on pinblocks was on this list last year. Haven't used it yet, always used Pintite which does the job. However I see no reason why CA would not work. I think you have got an open pin block on that piano which would make using CA much easier. The Plank is most likely a quartersawn beech plank that is not as thick as the modern planks. Pins are also shorter. > Tony Caught ICPTG Australia caute@optusnet.com.au
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