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<DIV><SPAN class=281355304-09012006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2>Jurgen
and Joe --</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=281355304-09012006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=281355304-09012006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2>It's
responses like these that make this listserver so worthwhile. With only =
three
years experience behind me I am amazed at how much I've learned already. =
But
every time something like this comes along I am reminded that no matter =
how much
I learn about piano technology I am likely never going to run out of =
interesting
things to learn more about. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=281355304-09012006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=281355304-09012006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2>Thanks
to all for the encouraging and informative responses. This is going to =
be an
interesting project.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=281355304-09012006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=281355304-09012006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2>--
Geoff Sykes</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=281355304-09012006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2>--
Assoc. Los Angeles</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=281355304-09012006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=281355304-09012006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr =
align=left><FONT
face=Tahoma size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>
pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <B>On =
Behalf Of
</B>Jurgen Goering<BR><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, January 08, 2006 3:18
PM<BR><B>To:</B> pianotech<BR><B>Subject:</B> Lovely Birdcage, (Over
Damper!)<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>With respect, I would offer a different =
opinion
than Joe Garrett on a few points:<BR>Based on the many German pianos I =
have
seen during my years working there, I can say that while the heyday of =
German
overdampers was earlier, many were still made after the turn of the =
20th
century. There are some astounding overstrung overdampers made by =
Ibach and
others, but especially Blüthner, that blow the socks off of just =
about any
contemporary upright you would compare them to, in terms of scaling, =
tone,
touch, and yes, even damping. <BR><BR>The case is definitely a =
perfectly
typical example of German styling ca. 1900. I have a Rönisch with =
almost the
exact piano case (though not an overdamper) in my shop. German piano =
of the
pre-WW1 era came in essentially two stylings: black or walnut, with =
frames on
the panels and decorative matching veneer. There were also a smaller =
number of
mahogany pianos made, mainly for export to England. Almost always, the =
finish
was french polish, which gave real depth and glow to the wood grain. =
The
Germans liked to show off the fancy wood, while North American pianos =
of the
day were most often covered with thick coats of colored varish, which =
obscured
the grain and eventually turned into alligator skin. Pity.<BR><BR>I =
agree with
Joe on the pitch - take the precautions needed, and raise
it.<BR><?smaller>Jurgen Goering<BR>Piano Forte Supply<BR>(250)
=
754-2440<BR>info@pianofortesupply.com<BR>http://www.pianofortesupply.com<=
BR><BR><?/smaller><BR>On
Jan 8, 2006, at 2:26 PM, Joe Garrett wrote: <BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE>Having seen the pictures, My gut reaction is: there is =
nothing
New in that piano, although it is unusual in that it says 1900 on =
it.<BR>The
Germans, for the most part, only made Over Damper pianos from about =
1870 to
1880. Then they gave it up for lack of a market. I have seen several =
like
this, but were from the aforementioned date(s). The case style is =
definately
NOT of the 1900 period of German piano making, so I'd say it was a
"specially made" one. The Atlas says little other than to infer that =
it was
a "custom" shop. So that would make more sense as to it's period of
manufacture.<BR>As to the pitch to tune it at?......Since the German =
piano
wire was light years ahead of anyone else, it is/would be safe to =
tune it at
440cps. However, if you want to be ultra safe, I'd say that the
International Pitch of A=435cps is the way to go. The overall
structure/construction/workmanship of German uprights is quite =
rugged
compared to the English counterparts. Look at the plate. It is =
massive
compared to English types!<BR>As for the CA glue?
Yes!<BR> <BR> <BR>Joe Garrett, R.P.T. (Oregon)<BR>Captain, =
Tool
Police<BR>Squares R
I<BR> <BR> </BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>