Pianette

[Rory Fader]

>To all on the list:
>
>I came across a rather unique instrument yesterday.  It's an Eavestaff
>Minipiano "Pianette".
>
>The plane of the bass strings is more horizontal than vertical or
>diagonal.  The tuning pin for A0 is down at about knee level.
>
>In the bass, the drop fingers are graduated in length, from about 24
>inches at A0 to about 9 inches at the tenor break.
>
>The wippen flanges are screwed in from the front - they can be
>tightened without removing the action.
>
>Odd!
>
>Jerry Gravina, RPT
>Babylon, NY
>
>
Hi, Jerry.  I've worked on three of them in the Vancouver, B.C. area.  The
"funnest" part is getting the keybed out so the action can be removed!
Another local technician worked at this maneuver for FIVE HOURS before
getting the action out (without removing the keybed)!

Actually, it's quite easy:  under one of the keys at each end of the
keyboard you'll find a screw.  Remove these two screws and you'll find the
keybed and action removal quite easy.  It should take about as much time as
dealing with an "ordinary" spinet piano.

These really are quite odd instruments, aren't they?

Rory Fader, RPT
Delta, B.C. Canada
rfader@dowco.com