Question -- what do you guys think of restoring Ricca & Son pianos? I have one and i was wondering if you guys know if it was a good brand, or a junkie or what was it? My piano needs some action work and new strings & tuning pins. I think the pinblock is fine -- has 2/0 pins and the pins are fairy uniformly slightly loose -- probably would use 4/0. I don't know if the soundboard is cracked or not and the bass bridge is somewhat cracked. --- Newton Hunt <nhunt@optonline.net> wrote: > Hi Charles, > > You ask a lot of good questions, I will try to > answer some of them with my > thoughts. > > > "Can you replace a pin block in an old > > upright with(out) completely tearing the back > apart?" > > Yes you can, but, is the piano worth the time and > energy? Some old uprights > were magnificent instruments, better than what is > affordable today, but some > were the cheap stuff like you can buy now. The old > ones like Steinways, Masons, > Bush & Lane, and many others were first class > pianos. Many of the others like > Gulbrensen, as an example, were cheap then and are > worthless today. > > So, a piano needs to be carefully appraised as to > the original quality and what > you are likely to get out of it when your work is > done. Doing a few pianos will > give you the information you need to make rational > decisions, so, go to it. > > Now, technically, it can be done. One is to drill a > large hole into the block > and replace the removed material with pin block > plugs and redrill. Great care > needs to be taken to assure that the plugs are well > and truly glued into place > and that they will never (nearly) rotate. > > Old blocks can be "revived" by dribbling CA glue > down the pins, let set, tune, > reglue as needed. This is a good solution but the > worst of the lot, except for > using pin block "tighteners", a real no-no by any > standard. > > The third way is to remove the plate, route out > sections of the old block and > replace with new material. This assumes the old > material is mechanically solid > and well secured. Replace the plate and redrill. > > > 2) In the method with the maple or pinblock > material plugs, that requires > > taking the plate off, right? Otherwise I can't see > how you'd get the plug > > in. Might be a silly question. > > No, unless it is one of the ones that do not have > plate bushings. The plate can > be removed, the holes drilled out then plate > replaced and redrilled. Removing > an upright plate is not as difficult as in a grand, > most of the time, so not > removing one is rather more of a bother. > > > " Is he talking about replacing the > > pinblock, or filling and re-drilling the holes? > > No, drilling out the holes with the plate in place > minus the plate bushings. > New bushings and redrilling the new plugs. Plugs > made from new pinblock > material is the way to go. There is no other > material that is useful in this > situation. Not epoxy, fiberglass, talcum powder, > etc. > > > 4) Roy said that sometimes oversized pins don't > work to his satisfaction. In > > those cases, what is the problem? Can that problem > be determined ahead of > > time, or is it trial and error? > > Larger pins act like larger windlasses. A large pin > will pull more wire per > turn than a smaller pin. Old blocks often should be > plugged or replaced instead > of being repinned. Larger pins are very often a > compromise and sometimes the > swing is the wrong way. Knowing wood, construction, > pins, feel of old and new, > testing before committing, knowing quality of > product and a lot of other > decisions can help determine the better path. There > are so many clues to > quality in the action, case, engineering and other > places that can help. > Ultimately doing it right helps more than trying to > determine what hides behind > a plate. > > > 5) Regarding using oversized pins on an old > upright: Is that just a way to > > get the job done in a reasonable and affordable > way for the customer, or is > > it something you would do if money weren't an > issue? > > In two words, yes, no. > > > On the one hand, the pinblock on an old > > upright is well protected from the elements > > Only to a limited degree. Quality of materials, > glue, construction and > engineering count for far more. Some climates can > destroy any piano and others > are benign. Knowing some of the history is helpful > but knowing quality and the > materials help more. > > > and by using larger pins you might just be > > delaying or not dealing with a problem (like > cracks). > > Most exactly so, no argument, no discussion, no > debate. > > > Can someone jump in > > and offer more opinions? > > No, mine is the only one that counts. :) Now if > you belief that I know of a > bridge in Brooklyn... > > Have a great Sunday all. > > Newton __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Send instant messages & get email alerts with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com/
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