1890 Weber upright

[Prof. Euphonious Thump]

Also, tune to A-435.
T
--- Michael Magness <IFixPianos at yahoo.com> wrote:

> On Nov 10, 2007 1:45 PM, Prof. Euphonious Thump
> <lclgcnp at yahoo.com> wrote:
> > Put a  tiny drop of lubricant on all string
> bearing
> > areas to mitigate this  ( except on bridges ) but
> some
> > crystalization of the wire may have occurred, and
> > concurrent breakage, inevitable.
> >
> > Peace,
> >     T
> >
> > ( P.S. Then, at least, you can tell the customer
> you
> > "did all" you can !!!  )
> >
> >
> > --- paul bruesch <paul at bruesch.net> wrote:
> >
> > > Semantics check... you say that you broke 6
> strings,
> > > I'd say the strings
> > > wanted to break.  Unless you're recklessly
> pulling
> > > strings way beyond pitch,
> > > it's important for the owner to know that their
> > > piano's string(s) broke and
> > > that you didn't do it. That way you don't have
> to
> > > feel responsible, and you
> > > shouldn't, because you aren't!
> > >
> > > Paul Bruesch
> > > Stillwater, MN
> > >
> > > On 11/9/07, Noah Haverkamp
> <noahhaverkamp at yahoo.com>
> > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > I tuned this th'other day. 52". There were 3
> > > broken strings in the high
> > > > treble and I broke 6 more, all in the treble
> > > except for one in the upper
> > > > tenor. The open pinblock, which
> > > > was a very pretty grain, had tiny cracks
> around
> > > several tuning pins, but
> > > > during the semitone pitch-raise, all the pins
> held
> > > well except for one or
> > > > two.
> > > >
> > > > The owner is spending a few hundred dollars to
> get
> > > the thing playing. But
> > > > we're curious  (this is the first really old
> piano
> > > I've serviced) about the
> > > > value of it. It is very attractive and the
> case is
> > > in pretty good condition.
> > > > I know it's not worth much without being
> rebuilt,
> > > but what is a ballpark
> > > > figure for a rebuilt one? And is there
> anything I
> > > should know about it
> > > > before going next week to replace the 9
> strings,
> > > fine-tuning and doing some
> > > > minor regulation? Is that pinblock face
> veneer?
> > > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
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> >
> Hi Noah,
> 
> Value is in the eye of the beholder/owner! Having
> said that there are
> tipoffs to the average old upright, the "good" old
> upright and the
> "fine" old upright. Look at the details of the
> cabinetry and the
> hardware is it just a plainjane cabinet or does it
> have some
> "gingerbread" on it, is the hardware just potmetal
> or potmetal plated
> w/brass or is it nickel plated heavy and well made?
> Does the action
> have any extra features, a bar that takes up lost
> motion when the soft
> pedal is used for example or is it just a standard
> action? Is it a 2
> or 3 pedal piano? You and I know that the middle
> pedal frequently does
> the same as the left or nothing at all but the
> buying public at the
> time expected 3 pedals in a better piano, while the
> cheapies only had
> 2. Are the keys extra long and the cabinet a little
> thicker than
> normal indicating it came from the same production
> line as a player
> piano and the key balance will be poor?
> 
> That's my short list of ways to tell average from
> fine, there are of
> course exceptions to that list, if the name of the
> piano happens to be
> famous or the previous owner of the piano was
> famous, with
> provenance, but those don't pop up every day.
> 
> I have to agree with Paul, that you need to adjust
> your attitude. I
> have been in this biz for 38 years and I have broken
> one string! The
> very first one I tuned, in class, the first class
> when the instructor
> had each of us come up front to the old upright and
> tune a string well
> above pitch until it broke, teaching us that strings
> don't break
> easily. If one breaks, you didn't break it, either
> it was flawed,
> rusted, old, had a nick in it, whatever but IT
> BROKE, you didn't break
> it. I have since had dozens of strings break and I
> can honestly say I
> did not break any of them.
> 
> FYI I have a job scheduled for spring to re-hammer,
> replace dampers,
> replace brass flanges and aneal the brass rails,
> rebush keys, etc. in
> a Knabe upright. It has been beautifully refinished
> and it tunes just
> fine, the pins are as tight as many new pianos I
> tune, so I will be
> leaving the original strings. The owners acquired it
> for $50. Her
> father a retired boatbuilder, refinished it. I was
> called after
> another tech told them to get rid of it and get a
> new piano!
> 
> Mike
> 
> -- 
> Knowledge is realizing that the street is one-way,
> wisdom is looking
> both directions anyway.
> Michael Magness
> Magness Piano Service
> 608-786-4404
> www.IFixPianos.com
> email mike at ifixpianos.com
> 



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