Mechanical Music Digest  Archives
You Are Not Logged In Login/Get New Account
Please Log In. Accounts are free!
Logged In users are granted additional features including a more current version of the Archives and a simplified process for submitting articles.
Home Archives Calendar Gallery Store Links Info
MMD > Archives > November 1997 > 1997.11.25 > 04Prev  Next


Restoring Player Pianos
By Hal Davis

From my past experience of repairing player pianos, reproducers, and
other automatic pianos since the first one in 1949, I would strongly
advise anyone interested in working on player pianos on a professional
basic start out by learning the piano technician trade.

For many years I worked on the player actions only and would often find
that I had lost a rebuild or repair job because of some piano technician
advising the piano owner the remove the player action.  On many of those
instances where I got the job and did a quality restoration of the
player unit, the piano still needed the work of a qualified technician
to make it sound proper.

I took the William Braid White piano technician course as I wanted to be
taught by what I considered the best.  That was one of the best moves I
made in music.  I can make a quite satisfactory income by tuning only if
necessary and when coupled with rebuilding a player I can make it sound
quite satisfactory.

In addition, I often would get good leads on interesting pianos as a
result of my tuning activities.

Although there are no other player technicians that I know of in the
area I would hate to have to make a living on working only on players.

For what it's worth,

Hal Davis


(Message sent Tue 25 Nov 1997, 10:35:32 GMT, from time zone GMT-0800.)

Key Words in Subject:  Pianos, Player, Restoring

Home    Archives    Calendar    Gallery    Store    Links    Info   


Enter text below to search the MMD Website with Google



CONTACT FORM: Click HERE to write to the editor, or to post a message about Mechanical Musical Instruments to the MMD

Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are those of the individual authors and may not represent those of the editors. Compilation copyright 1995-2024 by Jody Kravitz.

Please read our Republication Policy before copying information from or creating links to this web site.

Click HERE to contact the webmaster regarding problems with the website.

Please support publication of the MMD by donating online

Please Support Publication of the MMD with your Generous Donation

Pay via PayPal

No PayPal account required

                                     
Translate This Page