<html> A few of these, I would not have attempted to remove the lid by myself; let alone struggle to get it moved away from the wall. But it sounds like a good way to tune from the back. A method I use for locating the correct pins quickly in the temperament: Front rail punchings with the hole punched larger and the letters of the naturals written thereon. After muting, (only two strings/note) I place the punchings on the appropriate pins. The sharps are easily distinguished at this point. This indexing facilitates the tuning process. Once the temperament is set, it's just tuned chromatically. The Historical Society down the street has a Woodward & Brown. It's tuned once per year for their Valentine Tea (hey- they skipped this year!  :-( I'll call when they open, maybe they forgot. maybe they stopped the Tea :-) The pins have just enough grip to maintain a fair tuning 1/2 tone flat, Someone tried to sell them a big "restoration" (would have been "devastation") saying that when it was done it would be worth $100,00.00. Fortunately I was able to get it playing and the broken strings replaced for a minimal charge (free). However, I am now a Life Member of the Society. See, there are perks. So once per year I maintain the tuning to maintain my membership. Squares can be a good education and are definitely a source of frustration. Know when to say when. Regards, Jon Page At 08:20 PM 02/13/2000 -0500, you wrote: >Hi Jon, > >I have to confess, I have not tuned one of these beasts.  But a friend of >mine told me how he tunes them, and perhaps he's on to something. > >He tells me that when he can, he will remove the lid and the damper >assembly, and tune from behind by plucking the strings instead of trying to >tune like we normally do by playing the key. > >It might not work so well if one can't get behind the beast, but if one >can... > >I too have heard of the wonderful work tables these things can be converted >to.  Very solid. > >FWIW. > >Brian Trout >Quarryville, PA >btrout@desupernet.net > >> Lying prostrate across the strings to tune, praying that a string does not >> break >> or an action part; ending up with a fatigued back . . . >> >> There is a reason these instrument fell into disfavor. >> >> The last two I encountered have been turned into work tables. >> And good ones at that. > <div>Jon Page,   piano technician</div> <div>Harwich Port, Cape Cod, Mass.</div> <div><a href="mailto:jonpage@mediaone.net" EUDORA=AUTOURL>mailto:jonpage@mediaone.net</a></div> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ </html>