My First Wedgie

[Tom Servinsky]

Ken,
If I'm not mistaken this could be one of the infamous metal pinblocks, if
that's the correct terminology, which Wurlitzer used for a period.
Unorthodox yet extremely rigid and stable.
If in fact this is the metal block, then the wedges are intentional from the
factory. These were used to determine individual torque on each pin. The
further the wedge the higher the torque.  I restrung one of these awhile
back so the memories are still very vivid.  I do remember my arm aching
after the chip tuning phase.
Tom Servinsky,RPT

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ken Jankura" <kenrpt@earthlink.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, September 18, 2001 11:14 PM
Subject: My First Wedgie


> I tuned a 1929 Wurlitzer prenatal (under 5') grand today that hadn't been
> tuned in years. It was about 10cts. flat at A4. And really really tight
> pins, I almost thought it was a Baldwin :-)  The pins also felt a little
> funny but good, not the jumpy snappy quality they should have if they were
> really as tight as they are. I reached my fingers under to feel the
pinblock
> and lo and behold there was none. Neat little pin ends sticking down below
> the plate that were split with a little wedge in each. Someone may have
> driven the wedges up a little too enthusiastically at some point to renew
> pin torque or not, I have no way of knowing. But I felt like I could put
as
> stable a tuning on this piano as I have ever done. My arm was tired when I
> finished, but those unisons weren't going anywhere. The rest of the piano
> was about like you'd expect from a neglected old tiny grand, but I sure
> would like to tune a few more of this type to see if they all tuned so
> securely. A nice little treat to start my day. I love this business!
> Ken Jankura
>