Weber upright from 1884.

[Jerry Cohen]

Hello Martin and Happy New Year

I take care of an 1893 Weber upright which sounds similar to yours, but it
has a "modern" style action with 3/4 plate. When I first saw the piano it
had several broken strings which I replaced, and a few more have broken
along the way of tuning. I have been tuning it to A440 for about 5 years,
and after the initial breakage, no strings have broken in several years.
The piano is not very stable against humidity, so the pitch varies between
438 in the winter to maybe 444 in the late summer. It seems the piano can
easily take 440.

You might try A440. I think you have nothing to lose but a few knots
installed by the expert (I still remember your excellent class.).

Hope to see you in Anaheim in June.

Jerry Cohen, RPT
NJ Chapter

List:

I raised the pitch this afternoon on this 1884 New York Weber upright to
A-435 and still 3 strings broke.(It still has its original strings). I
spliced them back on. The lady bought it at an auction for her 8 year old
son to practice on. I advised her and her husband to not let their son
practice on this piano. It could ruin his sense of pitch. The piano has
only a partial plate coming up only to the bottom of the pin block.
Question: if it were restrung what is the feasibility that it could be
tuned to A-440? The pin block has some large bolts going in at the top
but they don't go all the way through to the back side. The overall
design resembles a German birdcage but it is not that. It is overstrung
with underdampers like modern pianos. But the action comes out like a
birdcage piano. Any thoughts and opinions appreciated. 

Martin Wisenbaker, RPT
Houston, Texas