Hi all, I just got back from Africa. The pianos I saw were, for the most part, old German uprights. 85 note two pedal pianos. In Windhoek they nearly all had cracked bridges and loose pins. Actions in poor condition, hammers deeply grooved and in bad regulation. Soundboards that, again, had cracks you could drive a truck through. Humidity is nonexistant in Windhoek, Namibia. I did come across a brand of piano fairly often called an Otto Bach. This company went out of business some 5-6 years ago. This company was a South African company. They seemed to hold up well in these extreme conditions. Thely had laminated bridges and soundboards. The actions on some older models seemed to be good german parts. On a newer Otto Bach I saw a currious detail. The last damper was cut so that only two strings were dampened (the Yamaha way). Yes it appeared to be a Yamaha action. This one looked, smelled, and played as a Yamaha M1 would. Currious, huh? I did not know Yamaha sold actions to other companies...or maybe I am wrong here. The most important item in my kit was... you guessed it ... CA glue. I had several of the thin and many of the medium viscosity on hand. I met with Brian Lawson in Joburg and he had some super glue he had bought locally and I told him I would have to send him the good stuff. In South Africa you just can't find this stuff. I began by placing pianos on their backs. Most of these pianos had been declared dead by the Techs that have come out of Capetown or Joburg. I had nothing to loose and everything to gain. I took the bass strings off the bass bridges and filled the gaps first with a thin CA to wick into all the areas below and then followed by the medium gap filling variety. After letting it set for 15 minutes I would hit it with activator. Strings back on and up to pitch they came... woops many loose pins... back on its back and thin CA to the pins. I would fill the resivour with CA around the effected pins and let it soak in. After ten minutes or so I pounded the pins in about 2mm and began to bring pitch up on the piano. Time and time again the pianos would feel great and come right up to pitch. I was considered a miracle doctor from the States. My contacts there started to recieve calls from all over the region for me to fix more pianos than my time would allow. I had donated my trip and all my repair work to help the mission and those related to the churches in that region and found it hard to turn down the other jobs as desperate pleas began to pour in. I took one piano that was at a kids camp. This piano was over 100 years old, had candle stick holders and well you can imagine. No torque and playing the piano you could not recognize any pitch. One finger chords throughout the intire piano. The camp needed the piano desperately and so, again having nothing to loose and everything to gain I began the treatment. First the Bridge repairs with my trusted companion (CA) and then two applications of the CA glue (in a well ventilated area) to the pin block. I let this soak in for a few hours and then came back and pounded the pins in about three to four mm. The action needed lots of work. Some repinning, some new flanges. Hammers were reshaped and then reregulated. Bushings were attended to and etc. After some twelve or so hours of work I was on the third pitch raise and to my amazement we started to have a wonderful sounding piano. The area outside the chapel was beginning to have quite the crowd as they could not believe the piano that had rotted in that church was coming back to life. I saw tears in the eyes of the local manager as I played "It is Well With MY Soul". What a powerful moment... no Steinway "D" had ever sounded as good to me as that piano did in that moment. They began to sing with me and I began to weep as these people began to praise the Lord with the piano that was declared dead time and time again. After coming back to reality I realized that I had come this far and that it would be nice to voice the hammers that remained and make it as good as it could be for them. Knowing I would not soon return I set out to voice it. Needle here and there to even out tone and in the treble notes(the last five or so) I had not brought any juice. Yes you guessed it ... I did bring my miracle juice. I remembered someone on the list saying they had voiced #88 with thin CA glue and it helped so I tried it on my last note #85 in this case. It worked wonders on the tone and so I went down to about four more notes. I had a crisp treble and a round bass and was so satisfied with the results. The last night there, we heard the Junior Church Musicians perform with the piano and choir. I have video proof of a miracle. What a joy to see all the people of that area smile and thank me for giving them something they could never afford on their own. Many make less than $200 a month US. We were able to purchase two pianos for needy families while there. I found a Yamaha M1 for just $670 US. Wow, wish I could do that here. The other piano was an Otto Bach. Music will fill the air in Namibia. I replaced lots of bass strings and believe it or not I had brought all the sizes that were needed. Brian had offered to get me any I needed and as it turned out the universals I had worked in all cases. The pianos were old and the universals worked out great. When I went to the coastal region the problems were different. No cracks in the bridges just corrosion to the max. This is a region where even stainless steel rusts. I repinned and repaired when I could. Lots of loose pins and lots more CA treatments to follow. I had a wonderfully exhausting time in a beautiful country. Saw all the wildlife you could imagine there after staying one night at a game reserve. The sunsets were incredible. God's handywork everywhere. Any questions about the trip are welcomed. Special thanks to Brian for helping me pass the time after such a long flight over. I enjoyed meeting one of our dear friends over seas. This list is a global piano wonder. Thanks to all for your support and thanks to those who prayed for my safe return. Ed Tomlinson Piano missionary =)
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