[pianotech] Old Upright Blues

[tnrwim at aol.com]

If you were in this situation, what would you do?
Tom Cole

Tom 

I get the feeling you're not necessarily asking for advice about the tuning pins, but advice on whether or not to continue working on this piano. 

If you enjoy the drive up in the mountains, and Mr. Doityourself is willing to to pay to have you work on the piano, do what ever it takes to make it right. (oversized pins, Super glue, whatever). But be sure he understands that after spending all that money, the piano is not going to be worth what he put into it, and it might break down in other areas, like other parts of the pin block, the bridges, back posts, etc. 

The other option is to tell him you're not interested, and tell him to get someone else. 

Wim






-----Original Message-----
From: Thomas Cole <tcole at cruzio.com>
To: pianotech <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Fri, Jan 21, 2011 4:49 pm
Subject: [pianotech] Old Upright Blues


Today's piano was a learning experience, a Melville Clark upright from 
902. It started out, months ago, as a conversation with a 
o-it-your-self-er who wanted me to fix his keyboard by regluing a few 
vories. He had "rebuilt" the action and just wanted me to supply and 
ttach some ivory heads. He lived way up in the mountains so volunteered 
o bring the keys to my shop. Sounds easy enough but there was more to 
he story and I didn't bother to think through or ask what I might 
ltimately be getting myself into.
I did ask about what was done in this alleged rebuild and found out 
hat, besides replacing the bridal tapes and bass dampers, he vacuumed 
ut the keybed (yes, including the punchings). Oh, and he wanted me to 
eplace the back rail cloth. Okay, fine, and today I brought the 
ecessary materials along with the recovered keys.
To get started, I had Mr. Doityourselfer install new balance rail 
unchings while I fixed some brass rail problems. Then I sent him to his 
ffice so I could glue in the backrail cloth and ease and space the 
eys. No key leveling or dip yet because I've never tuned this thing, 
his free piano from across the street. Let's see if it's tunable now 
hat it has keys.
I found 7 pins in the mid section which would not hold a pitch even 
hough their coils had been driven into the exposed pin block and 
everal more that were very loose but holding. I recommended restringing 
ut this was out of the question. The customer was philosophical about 
he outcome and after collecting the check, we parted on a friendly 
ote. I told him I would give it some thought and get back to him.
Personally, I'm not in favor of putting oversize pins on 109-year-old 
trings and I don't see how super glue on the loose pins would work if 
he coils are hard against the pin block.
If you were in this situation, what would you do?
Tom Cole

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