Question from a rank amatuer

[Christopher Thomas]

It was actually the early notion of mass production that first interested me in this piano. It is not unlike similar currents that were happening in the world of architecture at the same time. 
 
At first, I thought this piano had had quite a hard life. The top was ripped from its hinges, splintering the veneer and internal laminations of the sides. The interior was filled with such an array of dirt, food and other items (including a full pack of pokeman cards) that it reminded me of the space under the seats of my '60 rambler in high school.
 
Having repaired the cabinet, I have been pleasantly surprised that all of the keys and action appear to be in good working order: nothing broken, warped, jerry-rigged, etc. The more I look at it, the more I think its hard life was merely the last ten years.
 
Any information any of you all have about the workings of this piano I would be beholden to. The wippen is unlike any diagram I find in any book, so figuring out what to do is always an interpolation of something else. 
 
Thanks all
 
Chris Thomas

________________________________

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org on behalf of Andrew and Rebeca Anderson
Sent: Sat 5/6/2006 10:50 PM
To: Pianotech List
Subject: RE: Question from a rank amatuer


I tuned a '29 Brambach baby G Friday.  Had a really sweet tone, no beats in the treble.  All rear stringing unbraided.  Weird whippens, the balancier stopped short of the jack and had a big bolstered leather pad, teflon anyone?  Someone had re-whatevered it to about 1/4"+/- dip and the action wasn't cycling.  Luckily only the white keys and it was quick work to pull the card stock.  
The damper underlevers were all resting on the keys and with some twenty years weren't doing too good a job of damping too (felt compacted and not reaching the strings as well).  The hammers had been nicely filed and the stroke was 2" +/- and let-off over 1/4".  Only had time to do so much after a huge pitch correction.  At least with 3/8" dip the hammers no longer bobbled off of the jacks on soft playing.  

The rim is quite thin.  I did a large overpull tuning like I do on a D and than voiced the rear terminations and bearings, did another overpull tuning and then worked on the action and voiced the front terminations.  I had to do yet another overpull tuning with the pitch 5-8 cents flat.  Sure is gratifying when a dull sounding piano comes alive like that and becomes playable.  

Now to get back there and re-time the dampers.  With timing that early it felt rather heavy.

Andrew Anderson

At 09:03 PM 5/6/2006, you wrote:


	This would be one of the original Brambach pianos. Mark Campbell did not take over the company until 1912. Even then the transformation from the original Brambach and the later, much more mass-produced pianos did not take place immediately. This might be quite a nice piano. Given that it is now some 94 years old and its original builders only expected it to last something on the order of 20 to 25 years.
	 
	Del
	 
	
	

________________________________

		From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [ mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org <mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org> ] On Behalf Of Joseph Garrett
		
		Sent: May 06, 2006 6:44 PM
		
		To: pianotech
		
		Subject: Re: Question from a rank amatuer
		
		
		".... has been restoring a 1910 Brambach piano."
		
		
		  
		Is  this  a Grand or  an  Upright???  Need  to know!  If  it's  a grand,  there are  some  anomolies  with  the Brambach,  that  I can  answer,  as I  own  one,  that  is  a "loner piano",  that  MUST be up to snuff.  Keeping  it that  way  does  present  challenges, even  for me.<G>
		
		Keep in mind that Brambach pianos, in  general,  were  inexpensive  pianos,  made  to  "fly out  the door"!<G>  Some  of   the engineering  and materials were  truly  suspect,  IMO. They can  be decent, however.
		
		Regards,
		
		
		  
		
		  
		Joe Garrett, R.P.T. (Oregon)
		
		Captain, Tool Police
		
		Squares R I
		
		
		  
		
		 


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