[pianotech] Player Uprights

[Bruce Browning - The Piano Tuner]

Nice call Debbie.
Don't dabble in what you know not!!!



pianolady50 at peoplepc.com
> Hi Matthew,
>
> Ahh, no, not right.  There are many different configurations and I assume
> you're not talking about  Aeolians and others from the mid to late 20th
> century with 'shelves' above the keyboard and player stacks below the
> keyboard.  In uprights, none (okay maybe 99.99999% do not) require
> disconnecting any tubing for individual notes or any junction board for
> that tubing to access the piano action.  Basically, you'll need to
> disconnect either one major exhaust hose at the bass end or two (bass and
> treble).  There may or may not be moderately sized tubing for tracking
> system requiring disconnecting, possibly hoses to hammer rail lift
> pneumatics, and the large hose for the wind motor.  Then there may be a
> support rod for the spool box and various linkages for play/reroll, tempo,
> etc.  There will be a mechanical connections between the entire upper unit
> and the piano case.
>
> The best advise I can give you is to find an experienced piano/player
> piano tech to take with you.  Please, please, please!  How will you handle
> the situation if you try to take the unit out and replace it and then
> nothing works?  Did the player work before you took it out?  Did the
> customer demonstrate this?  Has it been rebuilt recently or are tubes and
> hoses going to break when you disconnect them and move things around?
>
> This is a can of worms if you are not well equipped or well versed in
> players.  Again, please take someone with you who knows players.
>
> Debbie L.
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>   From: Matthew Todd
>   To: pianotech at ptg.org
>   Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2009 7:29 PM
>   Subject: [pianotech] Player Uprights
>
>
>         Speaking of players, I will need to remove the player action on
> this piano to properly service the broken hammer shanks.  The
> hoses that connect to each key have a long strip of wood that I
> can unscrew so I wouldn't have to disconnect each hose.  And with
> the disconnection of two hoses on the bass side, and a few more
> screws, I should be able to remove the player.  Does that sound
> right?
>
>
>         TODD PIANO WORKS
>         Matthew Todd, Piano Technician
>         (979) 248-9578
>         http://www.toddpianoworks.com
>