Hi Ed,
Great testimony --really enjoyed reading your post. With nonexistent
humidity, someone should open a piano factory in Windhoek and create good jobs,
education, and a better economy.
-Mike Jorgensen
ETomlinCF3@AOL.COM wrote:
> 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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