Hi Tom! There was a lot of talk on this subject in the past as I recall but I think it was a grand piano. Go to the archives and search on "no pinblock" or "iron pinblock" http://www.ptg.org/archive/pianotech.php/ Mike Michael J McCoy RPT Langhorne, Pa. Chapter 170 /190 PTG mailto:mjmccoyrpt@earthlink.net > [Original Message] > From: <TomRPT@AOL.COM> > To: <pianotech@ptg.org> > Date: 11/20/00 8:41:46 PM > Subject: Pinblockless Wurlitzers > > I'm new to this cyber-stuff, so bear with me. I NEED SOME HELP!!! > A few weeks ago I checked out a 1929 Wurlitzer studio piano (it's a > family original and has tons of sentamental value). The bass bridge is in > bits; no biggie. But I noticed that the tuning pins were remarkably tight, > and, although the piano hadn't been tuned in (they said) fifteen years, it > wasn't all that whacked. > So we brought it into the shop to recap the bridge, and I took it apart, > and - - whoops! - - - no pinblock. > The pins are seated in the casting (I assume) and they have cute little > wedges driven into them from the back (to splay them out somewhat?) I can > tell it will be challenge to tune, just because it FEELS so odd. . .but it > seems to work. > My conundrum: there are no backposts (just a heavy full-perimeter > plate). I am nervous about dropping tension on the bass section to fix the > bridge for two reasons. The first is, am I going to somehow dislodge the > snugness of the tuning pins? and, second, am I going to have the darned thing > collapse on me because there's no visible means of support (so to speak) to > prevent uneven stress from becoming dangerously , well, dangerous? > Has anyone out there ever worked on one of these beasts? If so, I'd love > to hear from you and get either encouragement or caution, or both. > Like I said, it's a family piano; otherwise I might pass on the job, even > though I'm this far into it. > I eagerly await responses! > Thanks! Tom Patten, RPT > The Great Susquehanna Piano Co. Milton, PA > TomRPT@aol.com Michael J McCoy RPT Langhorne, Pa. Chapter 170 /190 PTG mailto:mjmccoyrpt@earthlink.net
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