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Quality of Triumph Autopiano
By Dan Wilson

Denis Anderson also asks about Triumph Autopianos.  My sister had a
1927 Triumph upright.

The Triumph was possibly the cheapest player piano ever made in the UK
(=L=65 or $330 at that time), and I can honestly say that my sister's
instrument, which I tuned and serviced every Christmas for 23 years, was
the strongest recommendation I ever met to slam the fallboard shut, walk
away and never have anything to do with player pianos again.

The piano had a myriad wolf notes in the treble so it never sounded in
tune, the tracking worked backwards when rerolling (it was meant to, a
saving) and the instrument became wholly inoperative in hot weather,
thanks to warping of the main supply chest sections.  Luckily my sister
preferred tennis in the summer so this latter fault was not of account.

I only found out how to get her to dispose of it when I asked her to
house a very fine Bechstein grand which I had for sale.  Her housekeeping
was such that few would dare to question my asking price.  She only had
to hear a few prospective buyers sit down at the Bechstein and run
through a couple of Chopin waltzes to realise the calibre of the Triumph.
Ah, relief !  (And the Bechstein sold well too.  I gave her 10%.)

Sorry, Denis, I'm not being very helpful, am I, but I had to get that off
my chest.

Dan Wilson



(Message sent Fri, 21 Feb 97 01:49 GMT0 , from time zone .)

Key Words in Subject:  Autopiano, Quality, Triumph