<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; = charset=us-ascii"> <TITLE>Message</TITLE> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2769" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN = class=562033900-08012006>Greetings all --</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=562033900-08012006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=562033900-08012006>I had = my first birdcage yesterday. I think I lucked out. Yeah, difficult to work on, = but considering it is probably over 100 years old the thing looked = practically new. A Carl H. Hintz, made in Germany. I could not find a serial number but a medallion on the fall board says 1900. See below for links to the = photos I took.</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=562033900-08012006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=562033900-08012006>The = woman who owns this piano inherited if from her mom about 30 years ago. She says that = her family purchased it from it's previous owner when she was six. My guess = is that translates to about 50 years ago. The current owner has played it but = claims she has never had it tuned or any other work performed on it since she took ownership 30 years ago. Had I not already seen this piano before = agreeing to work on it I might have had second thoughts about the job. But the thing = is gorgeous and I wanted to add birdcage experience to my accomplishments. </SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=562033900-08012006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=562033900-08012006>The = piano is clean and in incredibly good shape. It's obvious that sometime just prior to = my customer receiving the piano some <STRONG>major</STRONG> work was done = on it. New strings, pins, bridges, hammers, felts etc. Since it has been played = for 30 years the hammers need reshaping but all the rest of the felt is = almost like new. </SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=562033900-08012006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=562033900-08012006>Aside = from sharing the photos of this piano I also have a couple of questions. = The only thing apparently NOT replaced or repaired on this piano was the = pinblock. Which actually sort of makes sense. And while it is unquestionably on the = loose side it will actually, just barely, hold a tuning. For how long...? </SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=562033900-08012006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=562033900-08012006>Even a = good piano, after 30 years, is not going to sound even remotely good. This one = definitely sounded dreadful. A4 was at 409. I was advised by a couple of techs NOT = to attempt a pitch raise but to just bring it into tune wherever it already = was. They said that the piano was never designed to be tuned to 440 and = chances are the soundboard and/or plate could sustain damage if I tried to bring it = up to that. I brought it up to 415 only because that was as low as I could get = PRCT to go. And it held. And she was happy.</SPAN></FONT></DIV><FONT><SPAN class=562033900-08012006> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV></SPAN></FONT><SPAN class=562033900-08012006><FONT face=Arial size=2><STRONG>Question 1:</STRONG> Given the overall great condition = of the rest of the piano, is it a candidate for a thin CA glue treatment to the = pins to improve tuning stability?</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006> <DIV><BR><FONT face=Arial size=2><STRONG>Question <SPAN class=562033900-08012006>2</SPAN>:</STRONG> <SPAN class=562033900-08012006>Should the answer to question 1 be yes, = w</SPAN>hat pitch should this piano realistically be tuned to?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006><FONT face=Arial size=2>The = owner is willing to put "some" money into making it play better because even in tune the = worn hammers make it sound pretty funky. Is it worth it? In fact, what do you = people think this piano is worth?</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006><FONT face=Arial size=2>The = following photos are for reference to my above questions, and your enjoyment.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=562033900-08012006><FONT = face=Arial size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006>This is a front view of the piano, = with everything in place. I noticed that the left and right panels had the = screw holes filled where the candelabras used to be. Had I not looked really = closely I never would have noticed. </SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006><A href="http://tinyurl.com/82gst">http://tinyurl.com/82gst</A></SPAN></DI= V></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006>This is a close up of the center = of the front panel. The flowers are engraved into the wood. </SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006><A href="http://tinyurl.com/b99ac">http://tinyurl.com/b99ac</A></SPAN></DI= V></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006>The fallboard had two = medallions on either side of a nameplate casting. Here is the left medallion.</SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006><A href="http://tinyurl.com/dxvgn">http://tinyurl.com/dxvgn</A></SPAN></DI= V> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006>Here is the nameplate = casting.</SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006><A href="http://tinyurl.com/8rbra">http://tinyurl.com/8rbra</A></SPAN></DI= V> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006>And here is the right medallion, = showing the date of 1900.</SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006><A href="http://tinyurl.com/ccou5">http://tinyurl.com/ccou5</A></SPAN></DI= V></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006><FONT face=Arial size=2>This = is a straight on view of the action. The brass is shiny. The damper wires shine. The = screws, strings and pins are undamaged and show no signs of rust. The wood = is so clean that I find it hard to believe that it is original, and the = felt is like new. Even the bridle straps are in good = condition.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006><A href="http://tinyurl.com/7k7sl">http://tinyurl.com/7k7sl</A></SPAN></DI= V> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006>This is the bass bridge. Obviously = new. Not a scratch or crack anywhere.</SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006><A href="http://tinyurl.com/8nnfe">http://tinyurl.com/8nnfe</A></SPAN></DI= V> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006></SPAN><SPAN = class=562033900-08012006><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=562033900-08012006><FONT = face=Arial size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006>This is the treble bridge. = Again, obviously new. Not a scratch or crack anywhere. I'm surprised, = though, at the older look of the pins.</SPAN></DIV></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006><A href="http://tinyurl.com/8xmmv">http://tinyurl.com/8xmmv</A></SPAN></DI= V></FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006>This is the plate and pinblock and = all that stuff. Look how clean everything is.</SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006><A href="http://tinyurl.com/dr5jj">http://tinyurl.com/dr5jj</A></SPAN></DI= V> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006>And finally, the soundboard. Is = this new, or has just been expertly restored?</SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006><A href="http://tinyurl.com/djssr">http://tinyurl.com/djssr</A></SPAN></DI= V> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006><FONT face=Arial size=2>I'm = looking forward to your comments and suggestions.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006><FONT face=Arial size=2>-- = Geoff Sykes</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006><FONT face=Arial size=2>-- = Assoc. Los Angeles</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=562033900-08012006></SPAN><SPAN class=562033900-08012006></SPAN> </DIV></BODY></HTML>