[oliver]

I have been given a Chickering grand piano(around 1860) with some work to be done on the action (mostly adjustments) and mostly cabinetwork. I made new legs and pedal lyre (were missing) The soundboard seems to have been restored professionally, it has new pin block, strings, dampers, hammers etc. But there is one strange thing: the action brackets are made of wood and not metal! Is that normal? why would anyone want to do that? Maybe someone dropped the whole action and broke the original ones? I'm wondering whether I should cut new brackets in brass (copying the wooden ones)or leave the wooden ones?
Also the fallboard is of folding type and is missing so I need to make a new one. Does anyone have any info, drawing, photo, or a place where I can see one, in order to copy it?

[Barrie Heaton]

Yes on a piano of that age the action brackets are made of wood I would ask on one of the USA forum about the fallboard I have only tuned one Chickering grand and that was in c1977 so I could not tell you what they looked like unless one of the other tuners who read the forum knows

Barrie,
_________________
Barrie Heaton
Web Master UK Piano Page

[oliver]

OK thank you for the info. Would you have any good american forums to recommend?
thanks in advance
oliver

[Barrie Heaton]

http://www.pianoworld.com/

Barrie,
_________________
Barrie Heaton
Web Master UK Piano Page

[Soundboard]

I have a Chickering 7' 6" semi-concert which has just been totally rebuilt. Its case has been modernised at some time in the past, affecting legs, lyre and music rest, but the fall board is folding type and thought to be original. You would be welcome to see it. I am near Cambridge.
regards, Soundboard
_________________
Derek Pine

[Soundboard]

I should have said that date is 1883 and ser no 67975
What is ser no of yours and where abouts are you?
regards, Soundboard
_________________
Derek Pine