Tuning old upright players

[D.L. Bullock]

Since you are not a player tech, perhaps I should let you in on some secrets
to tuning them.

They are often designed for the head of the player (spoolbox, windmotor,
tracker, and everything mounted on the long top board) to fold down.
Gulbransens, have two thumbscrews at the ends you loosen and it all folds
forward.  There is even an expandable bracket attached to the plate to hold
it up.  Amphion and Ampico systems will also fold down in a similar way.
You only need something to prop the spoolbox on while it is down.  Several
others have this arrangement as well.  If they do not have this-- like the
Standard systems, you can remove the player with four screws at the bass end
and one long one going down at the treble end.  Or you may remove only the
wind motor for better access.

Or you could find a local player tech and send him all your player tunings.
That way he can take care of the player as well since they need occasional
tweaking which is best done with a tuning.

I refer, of course to players that have been correctly restored.  If they
have not been restored correctly, then they are nothing but trouble.  I
restore players so that I don't have to constantly go out for service.
Since I give a 5 year warranty on the player, I want to make sure I don't
have to make many warranty calls.  I only go out on about one in three
players but often the warranty call is just reminding the customer how this
or that works.  It is best when I tune and check out the player regularly.
About every two or three years I have to spend 15 minutes tweaking the
player, but I check it with every tuning.

Oh, should you ever be required to regulate or repair the action on a Duo
Art grand (with the roll above the keys), don't bother unless you take a
real player tech (preferably a Duo Art man) with you.  It takes me about 45
minutes to extricate the action for work on a Duo Art.  There is lots of
stuff to break.  These are found in Steinway, Weber, Steck, Stroud, AEolian.
There were a very small number of Duo Arts built into a drawer after 1932.
They are same as normal pianos to get to the action.

D.L. Bullock    St. Louis
www.thepianoworld.com