partly loose bass bridge

[Clyde Hollinger]

Greg,

The piano is reasonably decent, so I think it's going to be around a while.
Thanks for your thoughts.

Clyde

Greg Newell wrote:

> Clyde,
>           It would seem that if the piano wasn't going to last much longer
> than another decade or so or had other more serious problems cropping up in
> the near future that simply made it not worth spending a lot of money on I
> would simply slip some glue in as best I could and throw in a screw or two
> from the back to pull it back together. If the piano warranted more I'd
> soak the bridge apron with some sort of glue remover like vinegar or wall
> paper paste remover or the like and try to heat it with a heat gun and
> gently work it loose. You may still have some tear out but the trick is to
> minimize it.
>
> Clyde Hollinger wrote:
>
> >Friends,
> >
> >I need some advice.
> >
> >The piano:  a 1972 Baldwin Acrosonic spinet with finger rail action.
> >The situation:  The bass bridge is unglued for about 5" in the first
> >octave, causing the lowest notes to sound horrid.  The rest of the bass
> >notes sound okay.
> >
> >The potential dilemma:  It is possible that after I remove the bass
> >strings, with the intention of screwing and regluing the entire bass
> >bridge to the apron, part of the bridge is still firmly glued.  Yet, if
> >I try to work glue behind only the part that is separated, the part that
> >seems firmly glued now may come loose in the future.  I would like to
> >avoid a situation where I can't do a good job of regluing because the
> >whole bridge won't come off cleanly.  Am I making myself clear?
> >
> >What would you do?  Will the low bass sound okay if I just try to pull
> >that bottom end together with a screw, and use NO glue, for the time
> >being?  If the rest of the bridge never comes loose, this may turn into
> >a permanent repair, if the tone is okay.  But if it does separate later
> >on, THEN I can disassemble the piano down there and glue everything
> >properly.  Advice?