•Larry Mayo, I believe, misunderstood some things about defective piano plates, as I am sure others have, too. I want to "stress" a few points here again about what works, what might work, and what you definitely should not try. When I mentioned curing plates outdoors for a season (they call it seas...

•I have a cylinder box that is called an Expressive Harmonic by Palliard. The serial number is 24217. The box is in perfect condition and plays six tunes: 1. La Dame Blanche; 2. La Diane; 3. Les Mousquelaires de la Reine; 4. Prayer During The Storm; 5. Freischulz; 6. Spring, Spring. I have not seen ...

•A couple of years ago my daughter Alison bought a 1910 Model B Bechstein grand but fell out of love with it because, "The top octave doesn't sound right even after the piano has been tuned". She had the instrument thoroughly examined by a piano tech who discovered a crack in the soundboard, so now ...

•This topic is complicated and subject to wide opinion, however, I will attempt to express my view by picking apart the points in question: > Subject: Bechstein vs. Steinway > > A couple of years ago my daughter Alison bought a 1910 Model B > Bechstein grand but fell out of love with it because, "Th...

•Re: 000905 MMDigest Hello, Lets first be clear that with both these makes and with others, there are some specimens that are outstanding and some that are abysmal, especially where restoration has not been done or been done incompetently. If an old piano has only one crack in the soundboard then it...

•Hi All, You know the old saying, "Now I've seen it all". Well, I've said that phrase so many times in the past 27 years that I now believe I'll never 'see it all'. However, I saw something the other day that will make any conscientious rebuilder laugh out loud. 1. Odd Vacuum Pump This is no exagger...

•Pitch of 150-year-old piano; the square grand saga continues... First, let me say thank you to all who commented on the possible value of my recently acquired square grand piano. I am especially grateful to D.L. Bullock for his encouraging comments on the restoration of the square grand. Based on h...

•I'm taking the first step towards restoring my 1923 Wm. Knabe Ampico grand. I invited a piano technician last night to see the piano. While he has no experience with reproducing grands, he is one of the more experienced technicians in Israel (and, for that matter, in the desert one does not insist ...

•I just came on to this topic in today's posting. The topic of pitch raising and overpull has been discussed extensively on the Pianotech discussion list. Search their archives: http://www.ptg.org/ http://www.ptg.org/tech.htm http://www.ptg.org/archive/pianotech/ New wire will stretch for a period u...

•Hi Gang, Indeed, the PTG has many problems, as most organizations do. Membership is open to anyone that wants to join; each chapter has their own membership requirements, but for the most part it is not a problem getting in the door. There are only two categories, Associate and Registered Piano Tec...

•-- non-subscriber, please reply to sender and MMD -- Hello, I have an orchestrion in need of help. I would like to restore this, but could use some help. The brass plate on the front reads Guschelbauer Antal Sopron Kossuthstrasse 9A It is barrel operated, driven by a heavy weight, and has piano, be...

•I have just finished overhauling a modest ca. 1920s Godfrey-Melodic upright player that has a very soft tone. It is underdampered and overstrung. I am not quite sure why it is so universally muted across the whole compass of the piano and would appreciate any advice. Most of the instruments I resto...

•In 031031 MMDigest Bob Taylor refers to pianos that seemed to be designed for later installation of player units: Ampico, Welte, or others. In 1975 I acquired a 1931 Knabe Concert Grand (9') that appeared to have been designed in that way: its underpinning beams were parallel, not radial. I install...

•I think the can of worms I'm opening should go nameless. This Digest is meant to give persons with an interest in mechanical music a way to share information and ideas. It's not a place to expose specific villains. That having been said, here goes. I have a 93-year-old Steinway that has been in my ...

•I have a player piano in my Aerostar van. Really! Well, not the whole thing, but I do have the plate and back in there. Recently I had a customer who wanted to move to another house. He had a rebuilt player in the basement and said he had been required to remove the basement staircase to get it in...

•Last year I purchased a Weber Model 12 Pedal Electric Duo Art Grand; I understand it was once owned by the Medcrafts who produced Duo-Art recuts. The piano is in excellent condition but needs a full pneumatic rebuild which I hope to start on very soon. This model of Weber has the whole pneumatic st...

•Hi All, Kim Bunker here from www.playerpianos.com. Most all piano hammers are made of 100% felt that has been compressed to 10 pounds weight, 12 lbs, 14 lbs, 15 lbs, 17 lbs and 19 lbs. (Some manufacturers use felt as much as 22 lbs and more!) These weights are the total weight of the felt prior to ...

•Dear Group, In 050915 MMDigest, Brian Schelburg asked some of our opinions concerning the quality of an Aeolian Duo-Art grand offered to him by a friend -- should he wait for a higher quality "name brand" instrument. Here's my opinion: The quality of your friend's Aeolian, I suspect, is equally pro...

•Hey Gang: I have been working on my 1925 5'8" Mason & Hamlin RA Ampico piano. The piano has been restrung with a new pin block and has been refinished. The piano has a perfect soundboard and nice tight bridges. Everything has been done except to re-install the pump and tube it all up. I made a seri...

•I have for sale a very late Model 12 Weber Duo-Art Pedal Electric grand in a semi-art case. The instrument is approximately 6 foot 6 inches long, dates from the early 1930's and bears serial number 81856. Instead of in the usual Aeolian position under the keyboard, the pneumatics, tracker bar and m...