Justin Browne piano

[Brian Trout]

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
Hi John,

I've not worked on a Justin Browne piano, but from the sound of the =
responses, it's a Birdcage!

At the risk of being flamed for my opinion, I wouldn't be afraid of the =
piano, but I might want to check out the customer pretty well, and =
determine if they know what they have and what they can expect. =20

We had an old piano, I can't remember the name on it, from England I =
believe, somewhere around 100years old in our shop for some work.  It =
was a birdcage action, and straight strung, with a nut (as opposed to a =
capo bar or agraffes).  We restrung it with oversize pins, put on new =
dampers, and did some action work, (regulating and minor repairs) at the =
customer's request.  Turns out it was a wedding gift the couple had =
bought for each other many years before, so there was sentimental =
attachment.

But what I was getting at, a lot of what you find sometimes in some of =
these old pianos isn't quite what you think of as a 'modern' piano.  If =
you're expecting a modern Steinway grand, you'll be very disappointed.  =
A lot of these old pianos can have a very 'guitar' like sound, but are =
not necessarily bad sounding, just different.  Much hinges around just =
what you and they are expecting.

Incidentally, the piano we worked on, to which I've referenced, was in =
pretty good shape overall.  The bridges were good, the soundboard was =
good, the nut was good, the cabinet was excellent.  It turned out very =
nice, and although it didn't play or sound like a modern piano, it was =
very pleasant both to play and to listen to, again depending upon your =
expectation.

The tuning and the damper system on a birdcage can be quite different =
that what you're used to.  Here's something for you to try.  On the =
piano we had, it may be similar, it may not be, we could take the whole =
damper 'assembly' off of the action with 2 screws I think. (Relax, it =
came out in one big assembly, not a bunch of individual dampers.)  For =
us, the easiest thing was to remove the damper assembly, and put in the =
mute strips like you usually would, and tune away.  It's a little odd, =
but it's not hard.

I hope you have good fortune with this situation.  I'd be inclined to =
approach the piano with 'a clean slate'.  Don't bring expectations or =
disappointments with you from other pianos you've worked on.  Let it be =
a new experience all it's own.  It just might turn out good for everyone =
involved.

Good luck, and best wishes,

Brian Trout
Quarryville, Pa.
-----Original Message-----
    From: John M. Formsma <jformsma@dixie-net.com>
    To: PianoTech <pianotech@ptg.org>
    Date: Saturday, April 10, 1999 6:16 PM
    Subject: Justin Browne piano
   =20
   =20
    Greetings.
    =20
    Today I had someone drive to my house from about 50 miles away to =
see if I would work on a piano they have. They don't have a phone.  ???
    =20
    Anyway, the piano is a Justin Browne, made in London according to =
the label. The Pierce Piano Atlas has but one listing--->1870-1910.=20
    =20
    Does anyone here have any experience with them? From what they said, =
it is a rosewood piano, and there are 13 notes not working. (They were =
working on it themselves, and I wondered if I would have to eat my words =
to the list written hours ago that I worked on just about any piano. :-) =
) I may regret it, but I suppose I'll have a look at it when I am going =
to be in the area next.
    =20
    If you have any knowledge, it would be helpful to know something =
about the piano. This is the first time that I've ever heard the name.
    =20
    Thanks in advance.
   =20
    John Formsma
   =20

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/18/7e/5d/88/attachment.htm

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--