Just needs a little tuning!

[John Ross]

If you are going to repair? Where did the bass strings break?
I have seen quite a few of this vintage, where the bass pins, were not in at an angle to allow even coils on the pin. They overlapped, caused stress and broke.
The fix as I see it, would be to plug, and redrill the pin hole, at a greater back angle, to allow, the coils to lie flat.
John M. Ross
Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada
jrpiano at win.eastlink.ca
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Joey Recker 
  To: pianotech at ptg.org 
  Sent: Monday, January 08, 2007 12:08 PM
  Subject: RE: Just needs a little tuning!


  She did say that they just moved it from an old house that had a roof leak.  It is suprising to me that the case does not show any signs of water damage.  I'm nervous about doing the work for her because I have not attempted anything quite this large before.  It doesn't seem to have any sentimental value to her, she just said she like to keep old things rather than replace them.   

  I'd like to try the repair just for my own experience but I don't want to offer her any promises or guarentees.  I'd rather underpromise and overdeliver.  

  Maybe I'll send my upright over as a loaner with an "option to buy" if the repairs don't work out.  That way she's a satisfied customer either way and I gain a great experience without the pressure.  I'll talk to her.  She seems very open to options.  

  Joey


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  From: "Dean May" <deanmay at pianorebuilders.com>
  Sent: Monday, January 08, 2007 9:35 AM
  To: "'Pianotech List'" <pianotech at ptg.org>
  Subject: RE: Just needs a little tuning!




  Joey, don't let the naysayers on the list dissuade you from doing the job. It may be this piano has emotional value for the customer that exceeds its intrinsic value. There is nothing wrong with doing this job. You'll get good experience, make money and make your customer happy. It's all good.



  You should heed Conrad's warning about structural problems. Strings only break at the bottom like that because of standing in water, or really high moisture. Even you don't see any separations you might consider pulling plate screws at the top and bottom and running machine screws all the way through with nuts on the back side. If you counterbore the back side with a wide spade bit the bolt end and nut will be somewhat hidden. It also works well to use Goop to glue on a 1/2" PVC plastic pipe cap. The cap hides the bolt and nut and gives a nice finished appearance.





  Dean

  Dean May             cell 812.239.3359 

  PianoRebuilders.com   812.235.5272 

  Terre Haute IN  47802


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  From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Joey Recker
  Sent: Monday, January 08, 2007 5:23 AM
  To: 'Pianotech List'
  Subject: Just needs a little tuning!



  "Mamma said there be days like this."



  This morning I woke up to a terrible rain storm.  My first piano of the day was a new customer only 10 miles away who told me she had an upright piano that just needed a "tuning".



  I arrived to find a 1975 Henry F. Miller Spinet.  It didn't look too bad from the outside.  Then I opened it up.  the felt on every single hammer is seperating from the hammers.  I counted 24 bass strings broken, and 26 treble strings.



  I showed her what it looked like on the inside and she asked me if it was worth fixing.  I told her that she was the only one who could decide that.  I gave her a price for re-stringing, and replacing all the hammers and a good cleaning.  I explained to her what a comperable piano would cost her to purchase new and used.  I bid the job high enough (but fair for the amount of work that needs to be done) and figured that no sane person would want to put that kind of money into this piano.  She wants it fixed!   



  I usually just lurk here and glean all the knowlege I can from you fine folks, but my new year's resolution is to participate more in the list.  I thought this gem of a piano was worth sharing.  I'm just glad all it needed was a good tuning!  I don't think I could stand it if it needed some serious work done!



  Joey

  On Key Piano

  Plains, GA



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