piano with 64 or 68 keys? .

[pianotune05]

Thanks everyone for the tips and ideas on this p iano .  I"m looking forward 
to the adventure of tuning it.  I'll let you know what happens as soon as I 
tune it. :)  Thanks again everyone.
Marshall
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Pianoman" <pianoman at accessus.net>
To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, July 25, 2006 11:53 AM
Subject: Re: piano with 64 or 68 keys? .


> Could be a Wurlitzer or melodigrand
> James
> James Grebe   Piano Tuning & Repair   Member of M.P.T.
> R.P.T. of the P.T.G. for over 30 years.   "Member of the Year" in 1989
> Creator of Handsome Hardwood Caster Cups, Piano Benches, Writing 
> Instruments,Table Timepieces
> (314) 845-8282   1526 Raspberry Lane   Arnold, MO 63010
> Researcher of St. Louis Theatre History
> BECOME WHAT YOU BELIEVE!
> pianoman at accessus.net
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "pianotune05" <pianotune05 at comcast.net>
> To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, July 25, 2006 7:32 AM
> Subject: piano with 64 or 68 keys? .
>
>
> Hi Everyone,
> My wife  met someone yesterday while food shopping who wants her piano 
> tuned.  I'm told that the piano has 64 or 68 keys.  She cannot recall 
> exactly what the woman told her, and it was a piano made especially for 
> kids.  What brand of spinit am I looking at tuning, and is there anything 
> I need to know about it before I tune it?  Thanks again.
> Marshall
>  ----- Original Message ----- 
>  From: Tom Sivak
>  To: Pianotech List
>  Sent: Tuesday, July 25, 2006 12:59 AM
>  Subject: Re: Upright damper work - newbie seeks opinions, please . . .
>
>
>  Jim
>
>  Why replace anything more than the felts?  Not sure what you meant by 
> 'multiple wimpy dampers', but if the felts are coming unglued from the 
> damper blocks, then it's time to replace the felts with new ones.  Hot 
> hide glue is the glue of choice.
>
>  As far as what felts to use as replacements, check your Schaff or 
> Pianotek catalog and try to match the existing damper felts.  You can buy 
> a set of bass dampers that will have a preset number of monochord and 
> bichord felts. Compare that to the number of mono and bi strings on your 
> Knabe.  (You can always buy extras if need be.)  Any set of treble dampers 
> will have enough for your piano, but I usually try to duplicate the size 
> of the existing dampers.  Some pianos have the same size damper felt for 
> the entire treble, while others graduate from larger to smaller.  You can 
> buy sets of either type.
>
>  The one area I might stray from the original design is in the lower 
> trichords.  If the set of dampers you've bought has any trichord wedges, 
> I'd use them even if the original damper layout used exclusively flats for 
> the trichords.  There a little harder to align to the string so that they 
> dampen all three strings equally but once aligned, they do a much better 
> job of muting the strings than the flats.
>
>  I like to glue the new damper felts on the damper blocks while the action 
> is in the piano, especially for the mono and bichord wedges.  By gluing 
> the new felt on the damper block while the action is in the piano, the new 
> felt seats itself against the strings naturally, and results in having to 
> make fewer adjustments after the glue has dried.  Just lift the damper 
> lever, put the felt (with glue on its back) on the block, and release the 
> lever; the damper spring will firmly keep the felt in place, but still 
> allow it to move slightly from side to side as it finds its natural 
> position between the strings.
>
>  I hope that answered your question...
>
>  Good luck,
>  Tom Sivak
>  Chicago
>
>  James H Frazee <jimfrazee at msn.com> wrote:
>    It's a 1957 Knabe console with multiple wimpy dampers coming unglued. 
> Should I replace just the felts or the entire damper assembly and, if so 
> [either way], which/whose should I use.  I realize my times will be about 
> double what JG's Labor Guide says but I want to do it right because it's a 
> regular client and nice lady.  Thanks in advance.
>
>
>    Jim Frazee
>    914.763.8689
>    Offlist at:  jimfrazee at msn.com
>
>
>