a very strange upright

[Peter Burns]

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
Greetings list, and Micheal- I can sympathise with you here.
Sounds like you've run into an Eavestaff "Mini-piano".  They are =
horrible things and, as you say, are an absolute pig to do anything =
with.  Tuning them is damn-near impossible, having to contort yourself =
into positions Houdini would have found taxing, and having to drop the =
entire action for even the smallest repair or individual re-centre, is =
not worth the time it consumes.  When I worked in the piano workshop of =
our big music shop here, we had a policy not to buy, restore or deal =
with these things altogether.  Now I'm working for myself, I still won't =
tune them if I know in advance what's coming- partly because of the time =
involved, but mainly because of the fact you can't really make them =
sound any better.  Stretching around the back to tune them means you =
can't set the pin properly.  Couple an unsettable pin with hideously =
short string length, you've got a piano that should, for the tuner at =
least, be avoided at all costs.         =20
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Michael Gamble=20
  To: pianotech@ptg.org=20
  Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2003 8:42 PM
  Subject: a very strange upright


  Hello list
  Yesterday I had, what I hope to be, my very last contact with one of =
Eavestaff's most Inconsiderate Piano Designs. It's BACKWARDS!! The =
pedals and keyboard are in the usual place but... you have to remove the =
BACK to get at the action, the tuning pins and the strings....! =
Fortunately it has a short keyboard and the bicords of the top change to =
single covered at about tenor 'C' and go on that way to the bottom note. =
The keys actuate the levers via a "birdcage" of pull-ups and, of course, =
looked at from the back the stringing is backwards! The metal plate is =
backwards (in fact I could fantasize on converting it to a mini-mini =
grand!) So I had to get my 'T' hammer and my Papps wedge in there =
between the pull-ups and the hammers to tune the wretched thing and try =
to hit the correct key. I wouldn't like to try using more than one wedge =
on this beastie! The cabinet is flat topped and at the same level as the =
keyboard. That should give some idea of its size. No - it is NOT a =
ships' piano - the keyboard doesn't drop. I hate it already. It does =
have the most remarkable tone though... Hate it. And it's wired for =
electric candelabras...!! Thank goodness Eavestaff are no longer in =
business.... But we are left with these things - just to annoy! It's all =
backwards.... It belongs to a Spice Girl's papa. He's great though and =
I'm talking him into changing the Eavestaff for a S&S upright. =
Hopefully.  Hate it though... Hate it!
  Regards to all
  Michael G (UK)
---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/84/6a/ca/57/attachment.htm

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