[pianotech] tuned my first "bird_cage" piano

[Alan Forsyth]

Strip mute..... whazzat! What's all this obsession with strip muting. You guys haven't lived yet. Just use four Papps wedges. I have never used a rubber wedge for tuning uprights. Sometimes you can't get the action back in if you remove it on some of those old German overdampers especially the overstrung ones. Just start tuning instead of faffing and frittering around with strips. You people must have a bit more confidence in your unison tuning and get rid of those crutches.

AF

PS You will find invariably that those old overdampers are the most rewarding tunings. Those old pianos come to life and SING. If you've tuned it properly, you won't know it's an overdamper. Also the damper pedal feels much more positive (like a grand) than the normal setup. Your foot is working against gravity instead of all those squishy mushy springs.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: tnrwim at aol.com 
  To: joegarrett at earthlink.net ; pianotech at ptg.org 
  Sent: Saturday, January 07, 2012 8:39 AM
  Subject: Re: [pianotech] tuned my first "bird_cage" piano


  Joe & Bob

  Yes, definitely, a strip mute is the best way to tune a bird cage, (I'm sorry, overdamper). But Duaine didn't have one, and even said he was sorry that he didn't. 

  So, Bob and Joe. How would you tune this piano without a strip mute?

  Wim




  -----Original Message-----
  From: Joseph Garrett <joegarrett at earthlink.net>
  To: pianotech <pianotech at ptg.org>
  Sent: Fri, Jan 6, 2012 10:25 pm
  Subject: Re: [pianotech] tuned my first "bird_cage" piano


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Wim and Duaine said: "Duaine
 
Why did you take out the dampers? I is difficult, but the easiest way,
using a SAT and without a strip mute, is to put a rubber mute through the
action to dampen one of the strings for each note. 
 
Wim
 
 
 
 
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Duaine Hechler <dahechler at att.net>
To: pianotech <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Fri, Jan 6, 2012 8:22 pm
Subject: [pianotech] Tuned my first "bird-cage" piano
 
 
Tuned my first "bird-cage" piano - a Chappell & Co.
At first, I thought I would try it without taking out the dampers. Quickly
found 
hat the dampers had to go. THAT was 
uite a challenge tuning with the whole piano zinging. Quickly figured out
that 
he quieter I played each note the less 
ing you would get. Dang I wish I had a strip mute."
 
Duaine and Wim,
Yikes! Both of you are Wrong! I've been servicing Overdamper, (not
bird-cage), pianos for most of my career. I learned by trial and error and
talking to a few British Techs. The proper way to approach these pianos is:
1. Take the action out. 2. Strip mute the entire piano, under the damper
line. 3. Get a Papps Stick Mute!!! I can't stress this one enough! 4. Set
the temperament Tune down to A0 pull mutestrip out up to A3 & tune unisons
up to A3. 5. Check temperament & Tune up to top. 6. pull mute strip out of
every other one. Tune down to A3. 6. Pull the rest of the strips out. Tune
down to A3. (BTW, yes you have to pull the action out several times, while
doing this. It's easy to do and quityourwhining.<G)
If the piano was fairly close to pitch before you started,...you're done.
If it was a pitch raise...Do it all over again!<G> A hint: These pianos
really come into their own if you use a Victorian Temperament. AND,...take
your time. Schedule extra time so's ya can. I charge more for tuning these,
for good reason...it takes more time. Of course if the piano is not
structurally up to snuff, like any other one, it could be " not tuneable".
Keep in mind that most of these on "this side of the pond" are of a lesser
being because the Brits sent us, (via Antique Dealers), all their crappy
ones.<G> That's it in a large nut shell.
Joe


Joe Garrett, R.P.T.
Captain of the Tool Police
Squares R I

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