Pinblockless Wurlitzers

[Michael McCoy]

Hi Tom!

 There was a lot of talk on this subject in the past as I recall but I
think it was a grand piano. Go to the archives and search on "no pinblock"
or "iron pinblock"
http://www.ptg.org/archive/pianotech.php/

Mike

Michael J McCoy RPT
Langhorne, Pa.
Chapter 170 /190 PTG
mailto:mjmccoyrpt@earthlink.net

> [Original Message]
> From: <TomRPT@AOL.COM>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Date: 11/20/00 8:41:46 PM
> Subject: Pinblockless Wurlitzers
>
> I'm new to this cyber-stuff, so bear with me. I NEED SOME HELP!!!
>     A few weeks ago I checked out a 1929 Wurlitzer studio piano (it's a 
> family original and has tons of sentamental value). The bass bridge is in 
> bits; no biggie. But I noticed that the tuning pins were remarkably
tight, 
> and, although the piano hadn't been tuned in (they said) fifteen years,
it 
> wasn't all that whacked.
>     So we brought it into the shop to recap the bridge, and I took it
apart, 
> and  - - whoops! - - - no pinblock.
>     The pins are seated in the casting (I assume) and they have cute
little 
> wedges driven into them from the back (to splay them out somewhat?) I can 
> tell it will be  challenge to tune, just because it FEELS so odd. . .but
it 
> seems to work.
>     My conundrum:  there are no backposts (just a heavy full-perimeter 
> plate). I am nervous about dropping tension on the bass section to fix
the 
> bridge for two reasons. The first is, am I going to somehow dislodge the 
> snugness of the tuning pins? and, second, am I going to have the darned
thing 
> collapse on me because there's no visible means of support (so to speak)
to 
> prevent uneven stress from becoming dangerously , well, dangerous?
>     Has anyone out there ever worked on one of these beasts? If so, I'd
love 
> to hear from you and get either encouragement or caution, or both.
>     Like I said, it's a family piano; otherwise I might pass on the job,
even 
> though I'm this far into it.
>     I eagerly await responses!
>     Thanks!   Tom Patten, RPT
>         The Great Susquehanna Piano Co.      Milton, PA
>     TomRPT@aol.com



Michael J McCoy RPT
Langhorne, Pa.
Chapter 170 /190 PTG
mailto:mjmccoyrpt@earthlink.net