Chickering Grand

[Hank Lea]

Thanks Ken!!
    You gave me a lot of great info. You have brought back great 
memories about the one I worked on many years ago. I also had a customer 
who had a quarter grand that was rebuilt by a fellow technician friend. 
Even though the rebuilding was pretty regular, it did have a pretty nice 
tone with a strong bass. I'm probably like you, I want the job and the 
challenge, but I'm not wanting the, as you said, "mouse trap". Anyway 
you look at it, it's going to be a pricey rebuild.
    Thanks again for you information. Much appreciated!!

Hank Lea

Kenneth Jankura wrote:
> My first or second attempt at rebuilding was a Chickering Quarter 
> grand from that era (before 1910).
> Shortly afterward, I remember Wally Brooks saying in a rebuilding 
> class, something like, "I hope one of your first rebuilding jobs isn't 
> a Chickering Quarter grand, those things are awful to figure out."
> It had a one-piece block (yippee), but the block was stepped (boo), 
> against the flange. Why, I'll never know.
> I made a template and used a router at the depth of the step after the 
> block was cut and somewhat fit, and it turned out to be at least twice 
> as much or more work, but doable.
> Oh, and the block was bolted from underneath, allow for more time.
> The flanges were all brass. APSCO, at the time, had new brass wip 
> flanges for sale, so that was easy. Not anymore.
> I think I used S&S shanks and flanges, I still have the set of flanges.
> But I had to reuse the hammer flanges, oh well. The drop screws were 
> kinda loose in the flange, and I think I used gasket cement on the 
> screw to keep it from rotating with time and vibration (they were 
> longer than normal drop screws if I remember correctly, so 
> irreplaceable).
> The board had only 4 or 5 ribs. I Spurlock-style shimmed it.
> The hammers were attached at the rail at an odd angle in the bass and 
> tenor sections to accomodate for the narrow case, consequently much 
> 'head scratchin' was  necessary to figure hammer bore and tail shaping 
> and so forth (compound angles, yikes!).  (Way back, when I was doing 
> construction work, a mentor once said "A certain amount of standin' 
> and lookin' goes with a job like this." I've adopted it as my life 
> motto.)
> This piano at least had normal dampers. Many from that era did not.
> The action was difficult to regulate (memory oh memory where have you 
> gone!) for rep lever spring tension and hammer clearance.
> From what I have heard, every year through that period, Jonas 
> Chickering came up with a better mouse trap, so you never know what 
> wonderful surprises await you.
> Just be forewarned, even if not properly forearmed.
> I hope this helps.
> By the way, I tune this piano once a year or so and still absolutely 
> adore it.
> I sold it too cheaply for what it sounds like.
> I didn't particularly like it when I was finished, until I heard the 
> customer play it while I sat 15 feet away on the couch.
> I almost wept with the beauty of the sound.
> And it is one of the sleekest, sexiest pianos ever.
> Aw, maybe I just get too close to my work....
>
> Ken Jankura RPT
> Newville PA
>
>
>
> On Feb 15, 2007, at 8:03 AM, Farrell wrote:
>
>> I service an old Chickering quarter grand with brass flanges.
>>
>> Just curious, how does one do a soundboard evaluation from long 
>> distance? Or are you assuming (and logically I might add) that the 
>> original board is shot?
>>
>> Terry Farrell
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> The Quarter grands I've seen have three or so sections of pinblock 
>> machine screwed
>> to the underside of the plate.  I have not seen any brass flanges on 
>> a grand like there
>> are on some old Chickering uprights.
>>
>> Albert.
>>
>>
>>
>> On 2/14/07, Hank Lea <colopiano at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Dear fellow tech's,
>>    I am biding a rebuilding job on a 1906 Chickering quarter grand from
>> out of state. My question is to all, does this model have the brass
>> whippen flanges and the brass hammer shank flanges?  Also, does this
>> model have a sectioned pinblock?  Since I can't look at the piano, I
>> thought maybe someone might have some info on this model. If there is
>> anything else that might be unusual about this model, please speak up. I
>> have worked on these before, but it's been a long time. Thanks!
>>
>> Hank
>>
>>
>>
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