[jzzcat]

Help! I purchased a beautiful old piano at an auction in hopes of using it to learn on and was just told by the 'local' tuner that it is 'impossible' to tune. Any information on getting it tuned would be most appreciated! He said I would have to replace everything and that it would run about $7000 US to do so. Does this sound insane? Thanks for any information.

[Barrie Heaton]

Sound like you have an overdamper, Birdcage piano as the Americans like to call them. Most US tuners have great problems tuning them because of the way they tune using long strip of muting felt 70000 is a ridiculous amount I would say that the tuner did not want to work on it so gave that price.

To fitt a modern action and keys restring may run you to $14000 However, you just would not go to that expense on that make of piano.

I would try a different tuner before they come out aks if they can tune a Birdcage piano


Barrie,
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Barrie Heaton
Web Master UK Piano Page

[sarky]

did he say why? if you have a birdcage action you can see the vertical wires to the whippens on the front of the action.

reason I ask is that I have a birdcage action piano through no fault of my own. I got it free from a car boot sale last year via my girlfriend - having not played the piano for a number of years. When I started to research it I found it was a birdcage action - it was also in appallingly bad condition having 80% of the action jammed solid with no return and the key guides rusted enough to jam the keys.

being an idiot - i decided not to give up so quickly and nipped out to purchase a copy of the Berlitz book and began reading though it front to back. 6 months later having completely dismantled and rebuilt the action, and thoroughly cleaned up the other parts the piano is back in action and sounding great.

in short, it's not necessary fatal to have a birdcage. however it is almost certainly worthless, so you lose nothing by buying a copy of the Berlitz book and having a go at the action yourself - that was my look on it.

when I got it properly tuned by a professional (my efforts were enough to convince me that the pins were OK and tuning is alot harder then it looks ), he did not even complain once about the fact it was a birdcage, mind you here in the UK they are more common I suppose.

however, I was lucky the pins were all tight and the soundboard was in good condition. if yours is untuneable because the pins are loose, or the soundboard is cracked you might as well stop now.

morale: if your piano is worthless you lose nothing by having a go yourself. it's much more satisfying that way anyhow.
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Disclaimer
- I am not an expert pianist
- I am not a piano technician
Life Motto
- Everything is worth a go at least once

[Barrie Heaton]

[sarky]

agreed its not. I am definately not any expert on this - my piano is the only one I have ever got my hands dirty with.

However,,,

Me recommendation to any would be amature like me is - know what you can and cannot do. In my opinion Berlitz should have a five spanner rating to let people judge how hard a job is . I know there are many jobs on a piano (tuning for example, regulation etc) that should be left to people who really do know what they are talking about. It would not stop me having a go - I've been slowly regulating my action for over three months now - but then my piano is totally worthless in financial terms (not in sentimental terms I'm quite attached to it now) - and I have an urge to see this through to its completion.

Follow my rules for Piano amatures like me :-
1. buy Berlitz
2. use to correct tools (Fletcher & Newman on www)
3. if you have doubts about what you are doing then *dont* do it.
4. get advice from an expert - at the very least get somebody to tell you if the piano is worth you spending hours of your time on.

That about right Barrie?

I guess I'm trying to cover myself in case anybody takes my advice and wrecks a sentimental family relic.
_________________
Disclaimer
- I am not an expert pianist
- I am not a piano technician
Life Motto
- Everything is worth a go at least once

[Barrie Heaton]

[Melodytune]

On average I would say that I tune about 2 overdamper pianos a week and many of them have been adequate for the owner. Some of which are pleasent to tune.
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Chris Melloy
Piano Tuner

[sarky]

indeed. - Arthur A. Reblitz

darn it. thats what happens when you try to remember a books author by memory.

believe me I approach the strings with extreme caution - the book has enough warnings about 22 tons of force to even make me consider paying the tuner to do it (but where would be the fun in that?). that falls under my heading of being very very sure about what I am doing and getting in a pro if i'm not.

As stated before - my piano is worthless so there is not that much to lose.

having said that I am having a huge amount of fun both playing on it and tinkering with it - and getting quite sentimental about the old thing.

do you actually know of anybody daft enough to scr^w up a 38k steinway?! that has got to be a story worth recounting....
_________________
Disclaimer
- I am not an expert pianist
- I am not a piano technician
Life Motto
- Everything is worth a go at least once

[Barrie Heaton]

[Melodytune]

Oh dear! the things some people do eh!
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Chris Melloy
Piano Tuner

[sarky]

3-in-1, good grief.

I cant laugh too much, to be honest - before I read Reblitz I freed up two *really* stuck keys with WD40 not knowing any better. when I did know better having read the bible twice - I completely dismantled that section of the action and cleaned off all the residue lest it gunk up on me later on. the rest of the action i freed up and cleaned with compressed air - except two keys I used that purpose made lubricant (protek? something like that) from fletcher and newman.

At least I realised and rectified the problem!

BTW. two of the dampers look like some idiot has spelt red wine on them about 30 years ago. I am never going to get a replacement for a victoriam overdamper felt, so is there anything I can use to clean it? scrape it? there's a real irritating sound coming from the damper, any advice would be appreciated.

I realise this should probably go in a seperate post, so i'm repost if nobody answers.
_________________
Disclaimer
- I am not an expert pianist
- I am not a piano technician
Life Motto
- Everything is worth a go at least once

[Barrie Heaton]

[gramagenie]

I need an author for the book mentioned "BERLITZ" am trying to locate it and have come up with everything but the one mentioned.
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gramagenie
San Francisco
California USA

[Barrie Heaton]

[gramagenie]

Thank You Barrie Heaton

My father was given a John Spencer Piano, and has decided to refurbish (?) it, but after cleaning it out he found that there were about 6 keys (?) that needed to be replaced, so he has been looking around for somewhere to get parts for his, birdcage, piano.
Thanks for the information, and if there is anyone with whom he could possibly get parts, he would like any information.

Thanks once again
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gramagenie
San Francisco
California USA

[Gill the Piano]

Do you mean keys -ie, the bits you press - or hammers -ie, the bits that hit the strings? Hammers would be more likely; they are often missing (usually found rattling around inside the bottom of the piano) and most piano supply houses sell replacement parts, but the size of the hammer varies depending on its place within the range of the piano. It might be easier for your dad to call a local tuner who would probably have some old hammers from a dead piano he could use. Good luck!

[gramagenie]

Gill Green,

Thanks for the information, i'm printing it out for my father to read. I'm sure he'll go along with your suggestion, since other than playing the piano, the intnernal workings were unfamilar to him, until now, once again THANKS, I didn't realize how ignorant this little project of his would make me feel, oh well, theres always something new.


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gramagenie
San Francisco
California USA